Why?
Why do I do these things to myself?
I'm a nice person--good to children and animals. I give excellent advice and people often ask my opinion. In fact, I often give excellent advice when it comes to writing. THEN WHY DON'T I FREAKING TAKE MY OWN EXCELLENT ADVICE?????
:coughs:
Ahem. Here is what I have done. My WIP stalled at 20K. No big deal. Done that before. I know that I need to keep pressing and get through it and things will pick back up. So what have I done instead of being a good little writing soldier and doing my duty for God and Country?
I started another WIP.
All I can say in my defense is that I got this idea and it would not let go. The characters appeared in my head and would not shut up. They followed me around for days, telling me their life stories and having witty conversations with one another. Two of them fell in love (which surprised me because I never would have seen these two together and yet they make sense and it is so sweet.)
I fought the good fight. I did. Honest. But in the end I was weak and started typing. I emerged 4,000 words later with aching wrists and the trembles. I'm obsessed with this story and these characters and they are something unlike anything I've written before. I don't write historicals and yet here I am writing a regency mystery and loving it.
Whoa! Go figure.
Back to my story:
Lady Calandra is in a panic. Her almost betrothed is dead, the police suspect her of murder and even if she is not arrested, she is so tainted with scandal that she may never be married. She has only recently recovered enough from last season's scandal to find her place in society again and secure an engagement to Marquess Westborn, Thomas Lynton only to have him murdered in his bed a few days later at a weekend party where she was expecting his proposal. Death by poisoned chocolate. Now she has no bridegroom and few prospects.
Unfortunately, this isn't the first of her suitors to suffer misfortune. Last year's scandal was the shooting of Robert, Earl of Camdenshire, in an apparent hunting accident shortly before he was to propose to Calandra. She was very sorry and it was truly an accident on her part, but alas the Earl still walks with a limp.
Things seem dire when rumors abound that Calandra might have had a hand in Thomas' murder, so she falls upon the only help that is offered. Her dearest friends, siblings Julia and Arthur Alsbury aren't about to let Calandra be falsely accused and vow to do everything in their power to help solve the crime themselves. As the duo uncover the shocking truth the Marquess was killed to suppress, Arthur is in danger of revealing his own most intimate secret, that he has loved his friend Calandra since childhood.
I'm having a riot of a time with these people. I know I should go back and try to finish the other WIP, but I just can't. I'm actually dreaming about these characters.
Well, I'm off to research strychnine. Poison is such a fun murder weapon. How is it possible that I have never used it before?
4 comments:
Now be a good little writer and put your new toys away. You can play with them later.
Or not.
I always follow where the spirit leads. That's why I have 246 kick ass beginnings with no endings. Did I mention that the spirit is a heartless bitch and I hate her?
Write on, sweets.
Your new story sounds like a lot of fun! I say follow the inspiration - you can go back to the other wip any time.
Well, the heartless spirit has led me down the path to ruin, but I've followed her like a dolt. Yes, I keep telling myself I can go back to the other WIP is this one doesn't work. Now who's the faithless bitch?
That would be me. I feel so dirty.
Once you get it in your head, you have to write it out! I did the same thing recently (though I have temporarily lost my desire and motivation to write). I got this idea in my head. The characters formed. I researched. And I had to put my WIP back on the shelf.
For now.
I'll come back to it.
Honest.
One day. :)
Post a Comment