Post 16 REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESEARCH and editing.

Hey there!!

Today is all about that edit, that edit!
      I have finished the novel as such but as all writers know, finished isn't the same as finished. I am knee-deep in research for Houston TX. (In case someone from Houston is reading this, I'd LOVE to hear from you.) Why am I researching Houston, you ask? Well, I'll tell ya!

Because Houston is the backdrop to my story, where my characters live and breathe (well, some of them. Some don't need to breathe) I've never had the pleasure of visiting Houston, or Texas, for that matter.
     So to give my story the feel of actually being in Houston, I am googling, googling I tell you, everything about Houston. From temperatures to fauna and flora, typical weather patterns, sunrise - sunset, the way my character drives to and from work and other places, architecture.
I'm sure I'm bound to get something wrong but at least I can say I tried.

     I think I rarely write about places I've lived or been too but I couldn't tell you why. Maybe it's because I like not knowing the particulates because it frees up my imagination. :)
Whatever the reason, I love writing my stories and then adjusting the location into a bit better. Themes and feels aren't my strong suit. I focus more on characters emotions and scenes.

 
 The book - Writing fiction of dummies - categorizes me as a 'Seat of the pants' writer. I think it's pretty accurate since I'll get an idea or a character which makes me start writing. From there, I'm just along for the ride. Sometimes horrible things happen to my characters and sometimes they are simply goofing off.
I save everything I write so I can maybe someday use it in some form or the other. Or so I can one day look at it and go:

    So editing is something I have to really work at. I've gotten better at editing, maybe even outlining where I want the story to go or where I need this character to be. Then as many stories tend to do, they take on a life of their own and throw a monkey wrench into my plans and suddenly this person is dead.

I love it, though, it makes it harder to fix or get my main character to where he or she needs to go.
I'm along for the ride, til the end.
Bring it!

Post 14. Message from the brain.

I just want to write, or live in my fantasy world.

Yep, this is the message my mind seems to want to give me these days. I have been editing a novel I hope to get published and I have been diligent in doing so daily. Of course, this means the story, the characters and dialogue are always running around in my subconscious. So, the second I get a moment to myself or am doing chores a monkey could do with his eyes closed, naturally my mind returns to the story. Should this character really say this? But if he doesn't my protagonist won't discover this, so I need him to say that. At least I can edit the way he says it and make it sound more authentic. Why is this person obsessed with a phone they think they don't have? This is where a previous edit has messed something out and I spend hours looking for a reference to said phone, only to find the character has it on her the entire time! HA!

         Many times I have been doing the dishes or vacuuming when I realize something is wrong with my plot or I forgot to bring in an element of something. I both love and hate this situation. I don't want to lose momentum or interest in my own work. But it never feels very quiet in my mind. I have trouble falling asleep because I'm busy playing out a scene which could go this way or that way. Oh, wait, let's throw in a hedgehog and see what happens!
         Add this to the craziness of being a parent, trying to work out daily and get everyone's lunches, homework and toothbrushes ready.

Today we went to Tusenfrid, an amusement park just outside of Oslo. We have a great time and they had lots of attractions for the little ones (lot's for the big ones too but I refrained from trying them since the lines were too long to leave the kids waiting.) Still managed to sneak on a coaster with my oldest, SOOOO FUN!

          I was walking around like a bad-ass Coachella going mom at the start of this trip but by the end I was loaded down with printed out pictures from various rides, rubber ducky prizes, sweaters, slushies, popcorn and buckets of candy floss, all while I watched my kids go round and round on this or that ride.
We had a blast, both adults and kids and the sun out and I actually remembered to take the sunscreen
with me to reapply! Score!!

And for my closing, I will just leave this here!