Chapters and Notebooks

October 21, 2011

I've been writing some about the current state of the project on Sheryl Todd's Personal Blog. I'm also migrating the material from the current blog to its own web site.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Focus

I figured out where to start and how much background material I want (minimal, at this point). Instead of watching a movie, I located the quotes and information I'll type up or copy/paste tomorrow. I've started a file in Word. I'm glad I wrote the first 14 chapters (13 1/2 or 14, depending on how you count them) the way I did, because they make a superb chronological reference. If I live long enough, or make enough time, I'm tempted to write several "story" type books from this material and also go back and finish the work the way I started it. And also do a readable overview. And an updated disposition of the pieces.

But for now, I'm thrilled that I know what words I want to start with and what backstory I want to include. I'm also thrilled that I'm learning to pare down. This is a challenge for me. I'm sure that posting my Astoria, Oregon, Daily Photo (part of the City Daily Photo family) is helping, because the rules are, you post only one photo per day. It wasn't easy for me in the beginning, but I'm loving it. I've got my other blog for posting multiple pix in a day. I read recently on a photoblog that someone's writing teacher had instilled in them the concept of ONE. When you stay focused on one thing, your writing is better. Reading about it just at this moment helped me know that it was OK to focus on N.C. Hudson, as interesting as the other characters are. Their stories can come later, or their material can be given to someone else. From the begining, Hudson was the hero of this story. Others felt it, too; and yes, it's OK to leave him fully and completely at the center. I know it's going to make the project better. I love the way it's falling into place.