I haven’t posted here in a while (obvs), because the struggle is real? And maybe I should record these moments as well, because it’s part of The Writing Process. (Respect the process.)
So for three months now, I’ve been struggling to come up with a SPOOC, à la Deborah Chester’s Fantasy Fiction Formula, for Olivyn book 1. This is tres importante, as I’m intending to start the darn thing on November 1st, for this year’s NaNoWriMo project. I have (literally) pages in my notebook of me working, and re-working, and re-re-working, this two-sentence summary.
I want to jokingly express my hate for Ms. Chester and her plot formula, except that I can see how important it is, and how it’s forcing me to think things through — to the point where, even after coming up with a reasonably good SPOOC last weekend, I’m already seeing where it won’t sufficiently hold water. (Which is so very, very vexing.) Back to the drawing board.
So far I have two eras of kingdom history now actively at odds, a hero, a vision of the future that maybe should be a prophesy instead? Or a legend? An antagonist who is finally telling me his plans (in confidence), but I’m still a little unclear on his endgame. And a heroine who is really going to get put through the ringer, and probably by the end of the book, she’ll want to come over and egg my house.
So that’s where I’m at, T minus 20? days, and counting….