Sunday, April 24, 2005

Putting Things in Order

I started to outline my next book this afternoon. I do a detailed outline so that when I start to write I have a "moving picture" in my head of the chapter I'm working on. But my writing process is far more like real life than a movie, because anything is subject to come up and if it comes up and looks, feels or sounds legitimate and moves the plot forward it becomes a part of the landscape.

I'm just coming off the completion of my novella, mine is the fourth one in line, and I was really worried that I wasn't going to get it completed in time, that I wasn't going to meet that deadline, but I did! Now I'm in the mind frame to flow with the same kind of energy pumped into that project, to hang with that genre, so the book I'm outlining is perfect for where I am. I want to take advantage of that mental space, it feels real good.

I do have a couple of other pressing projects on tap at the moment -- one I don't even want to think about, but I must. I've pushed its deadline up so many times I'm beginning to want to hide when someone asks me about it. I just don't feel its time has come and until it does, I cannot let it go. Plus, something else is going on with it in another media, so that has a lot to do with my hesitancy to take it in its original direction. But, let me not even start tripping on that today!

Church was wonderful this morning and I'll never quite look at "Peace Be Still" in the same way, and that is a good thing.

Peggy

4 comments:

princessdominique said...

I'm so glad you're flowing, as a writer I know how important that is. I can't wait to read your new project *wink*

Shelia said...

Peggy, you have a lot on your plate. The best way to handle it, is tackle one writing project at a time and before you know it, they're all complete (well unless you add some new storylines on your list, which you probably will...smile).

Peggy said...

Thanks Dominique,
Actually, neither can I! That will mean I completed it!

Peggy said...

Shelia,
You would think, huh! Unfortunately that isn't how my mind works, never has. I might work on four or five things simultaneously and bring them all in completed within minutes or days of one another. Guess it is just how I'm wired. Thanks!