Warning: Some Violence and Much Strong Language.HE WROTE: January
We started this blog thinking we'd make an entry or two a week. We have over 18,000 words of entries in just one month. As Jenny said this morning in email: we need to blog Agnes.
What happened this month? We did the media training. We did the conference in Cocoa Beach. We got a book deal for Agnes.
Pretty good month.
I was thinking about the genesis of a novel. Because I started writing Chasing the Ghost yesterday. At least trying a scene with my character in it. Chasing is my next Bob Mayer book.
I 'started' Chasing about six months ago, wargaming out the character. Doing his back story and his history.
Then had a rough idea of what the plot would revolve around. And then have spent the next six months letting it germinate in my brain.
Even this morning I wasn't quite sure though about the plot and the POV characters.
Then I talked it out and the pieces that had been rolling around in my head for months started falling into place. Plot points. Supporting characters. Scenes. Still not there yet, but it's progressing. I'm at the point where I'm getting it out of my head, where everything looks wonderful, onto paper, where it aint so wonderful. This is the creative process that's hard to describe to people who aren't writers and also very hard on a writer because we're not actually writing. We're thinking. So even though we are working, we feel guilty because we're not putting words on paper during all this thinking.
A dolphin just surfaced about twenty feet off shore.
I take that as a good sign.
15 Comments:
And your horoscope for today says you should let your inner child out to play - I say give him a white board and some markers and put him to work. Rock on, dollface.
PS - blogging is a dangerously seductive activity for a working writer, because it's much more instant gratification vis-a-vis reaching the public than the process of publishing a book. Beware the dark side...
Dolphins are always a good sign. (Says the author who also works for a dolphin facility.)
Hey, Bob, if you read this and you get a chance, how about chatting a bit about the whole process of "wargaming" a character. It's not exactly a metaphor/process that romance writers tend to think about, and we can always use some different paths into our stories.
Ah, the guilt of not writing. Yep. Thank you ever so much for giving us a glimpse into your brain (terrifying though that may seem). Helps greatly in promoting the realization that this whole writing lunacy is actually "normal" for some people. Here I thought all I needed was a padded cell.
Ditto on the wargaming. Or is that just the Special Forces way of saying "collage"? *grin*
I'm laughing that blogging might be the 'dark side' for a former soldier :D
Glad even well known experienced authors have that fermenting thing going on. I sometimes think that if I were 3 people I might actually get to write all the books I have in my skull, while still neglecting my wonderful children!
Dolphins suggest the ocean, and sitting in the snow in the middle of Winnipeg is making me very very nostalgic!
I want to know more about wargaming as well. I have a vague idea in my head of what it might entail, but I'd like to hear you explain it, Bob.
Chasing the Ghost sounds like it will be another great adventure!
You have dolphins swimming around your place???
I have Moot - 12 foot long...swimming back and force in front of my motorhome. Last night, Moot invited a couple of his buddies over to cruise my place. They just needed the cigars, beer and chips to have had a poker party.
Wargaming??? Give us some pointers.
Tha
On the upside of being a writer- if your caught staring off into space scratching yourself you can claim to be "thinking over plot structure." This makes you look productive and artistically deep- versus admitting your are trying to figure out who will win America's Top Model.
I like that Jess. Wargaming - collage for soldiers. Made me really laugh. If you do give us a blog about wargaming and it sounds anything like collaging - your goose is cooked. You'll never live it down collage boy!!
HA HA HA HA HA HA...still laughing.
First, you two should consider putting a forum on the website for those of us who want to chat with eachother. Just a thought.
Second, I am also interested in wargaming. I'm hoping it involves questions such as, "If my character were a deadly weapon, what weapon would she be?"
You lucky man! I often saw Humpback whales and other sea mammals when I lived in SouthEast Alaska. I really miss it.
After reading this blog for some time I became curious about Bob's books and OhioLINK'd (thank heavens for libraries) a couple titles.
I just finished reading Bodyguard of Lies and Section 8. The first was very intriguing to me, especially with the strong female characters. The second was frightening in such that it is not all that far fetched now, is it? That said, I will be interested in reading the book you are chasing around in your head right now.
Go frolic with that dolphin and take a break.
Hi, I have enjoyed reading your blogs and really want to read the books when they come out, have read both Jennie's stories and Bob's and enjoyed both your styles.
It is wonderful to read about the process and to experience how a story comes together.
best of
David
Maybe blogging Agnus back and forth to each other (for your eyes only) wouldn't be such a bad idea. I've only managed to finish one story - ever! But I can blog like no one's business. You should see my MySpace. Inkgrrl is right. It is dangerously seductive.
Post a Comment
<< Home