March 1st, 2007

A Pocket Full of Murder

Well, that was unexpected

I've been really struggling with Touching Indigo the last couple of weeks -- I seem to have lost the groove as far as outlining is concerned, and now I really have to figure out precisely which method I'm using, or else which parts I want to borrow from each method and what deadlines to set for myself along the way. I now have only one month left to finish the outline, after all, and then I am supposed to start writing the first draft in earnest, so it's definitely time to get cooking.

I think part of the difficulty I'm having is that the story already exists in another form, and Thea's backstory already exists in another form, and I am slowly realizing that I can't just transfer all the details over -- what worked for the original plot and characters doesn't necessarily work for the rewrite, and in fact may even get in the way of telling the story. So I have to question everything, and ask myself once again, "Yes, but why does it have to be this way? And is there another possibility that would work better for this particular plot?"

For instance, Thea's mother was originally a neurotic shrew and her father was vague and distant, specifically so that Thea would be able to leave them and not look back (not for a good long while, anyway). But there's no need in the rewrite for Thea to be so totally estranged from her parents. And when I realized that this afternoon, Thea's mother suddenly became real to me in a way she'd never been before. I know her backstory now, and I know exactly why she behaves in certain ways and how that affects her relationship with Thea, and it's real and poignant and I'm actually excited about writing it. She's still a flawed character, but she's a human one.

So. One difficulty down, 50,000 to go...
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