The Brat is back, this time with a new WIP. Wanna win a Bratty book? Details below.
Giving directions to your husband while going on a road trip…WITHOUT GPS.
You see, I know where I want to go. On the road trip. In the book.
On a road trip, it’s usually a bookstore, or a library, or a mall, in some town I haven’t visited before, or it’s been a long time since my last visit.
I know where I want to go. I just am not very sure on how to get there. It usually involves me scouring a map, looking for cross streets, checking on the printed directions from Google maps…and then me shouting at the last second, That’s where we gotta turn.
He acts like I do it on purpose. Hey, I can’t help the road doesn’t lead where I think it should.
Same with my story.
I know where I want to go. I’m just not sure how to get there. Even with outlines, notes, bouncing ideas off a friend’s head, I’m not too sure of the road I need to take. I think it’s this road, but this road doesn’t lead to that one after all and that one is the road I need to be on.
But my husband ought to consider himself lucky. Because in a story? Usually when I see the road I need, it’s always in hindsight. Like oh say… 30, 40, 50 pages past the turning point that I didn’t see until it was too late. Last minute is better than way after, right?
So in the story, I have to back track. And I realize there are other twists in the plot (roads) that I do need to keep, but I need to figure out how to work them in while still arriving where I need to be…when I need to be there…and without missing any of the other vital things.
My husband keeps telling me I need to learn to read a map. I think I’m just fine-we’ve got a GARMIN now. What I really need is some sort of GARMIN for authors-one that will spit out helpful little things like… Important plot turn in 5 pages, 4 pages, 3 pages, 2 pages…on the next page you need to work on a new plot development.
Somehow, I don’t see it happening.
Shiloh Walker’s latest release is Through The Veil. Excerpt coming up!
Contest: I’ll buy one lucky person a copy of any Bratty Book that you can find on Fictionwise up to 6USD.
miladyinsanity 
I have something for you on my blog.
*G* Okay.
I had to comment here…
the possibly related posts that WordPress generated?
The dog book. Always the dog book. You type in SHILOH and you get the dog book.
*snicker*
But it reminds me that I need to turn that thing off.
I do need a Garmin for my writing. It would be awfully nice to just know I’m supposed to be going in the general direction of north AND that I am actually going in the general direction of north.
Growing up my mother was what I like to call directionally challenged and navigationally impaired. She would have LOVED a GPS. Instead she had my brother and me. It was our job to know where the car was parked so we didn’t have to get a security guard to drive us around the mall parking lot hoping to spot the lost car. How very embarassing for a teenager! But a GPS for writing, great idea!! But that computer might not need authors. THAT would be BAD!!!
Love the blog!
LOL you got me cracking up. I don’t think I’m that bad with maps but reading a map with a man in the seat, hmmm….