Working On My Latest Work In Progress

I’m in the mist of reading some fabulous books and wish with all my heart I could write like that.  I have read in the authors own words, she wished she could write like her very own favorite author.  So I feel like I’m in good company. The author is J. R. Ward and the series of books is called The Black Dagger Brotherhood.  (She is one of my favorites.  I have others which I will write about another time.) 

As much as I am enjoying reading about the brothers in the series.  My own characters in my head are wondering what is happening with them. Why haven’t I written their stories?  (If only it could be that easy.)  

So I’m taking time each week to work with my current work in progress  But my characters are patient, which that might not be such a good thing.  It they were screaming bloody murder to get their stories out maybe I wouldn’t spend so much time reading other authors.  (It’s like Duh.)

On my journey to write I am learning techniques.  Right now I am working on my second manuscript in my own series.  Even thought this is the second manuscript it is really the first story in the series.  The one that starts it all.  I feel there is much to do and a lot to still work out.  When I read a novel it seems so easy to just read and have things revealed to me as we progress.  As the author and the designer of the world and all its occupants it is with concern that I make decisions I am unsure of.  (You see things are revealed to me much as they would be for any reader reading a novel, which is quite interesting.)    

There is also my fear that the story will not be good enough.  J. R. Ward said the same thing when she started writing The Black Dagger Brotherhood.  She was terrified, even thought she was published she was so scared that she could keep up the level of writing up.  (This is my fear, can I even write one good novel.)  J. R. Ward says not to worry about that and to do the best you can at what ever level you are at the moment.  (Are you kidding me? “Okay heart palpitations here”. Must gain control. )  After a few deep breaths I gain some kind of control, but not much.  Any way back to my journey. 

Getting over fear is to face it right on.  As one of my characters tell me.  When I wrote the manuscript I’m working on now. I wrote what was in my head at the time. Now that I’m doing revisions I’m trying to figure out what I was thinking when I first wrote it.  (Weird I know) Sometimes I need to take a few days to let the paragraphs stir in my brain until I figure out what was going down. Then it just happens. A neuron fires in my brain and I’m off.  Most of the time it happens when I’m in the middle of reading someone elses' book and the thought about my story comes out.  The extremely strange thing of all is that what comes out about my story is completely different that what I was just reading.  (Weeeiiiirrrrd.)  

So my mantra over the next weeks will be Facing My Fears.  Facing My Fears, Facing My Fears, Facing My Fears, Facing My Fears, Facing My Fears, Facing My Fears.  Well you get the idea. 

Until next time.