Today was another good writing day despite the fact that Chris decided to set his alarm for 4:30 AM so he could be awake while I'm writing. Though I love his company, his 9 year-old's propensity towards chatter didn't help my focus. Still, today I worked on character development and can see tension building between some of them. Tension is good. Essential, in fact.
9238 words, by the official NaNo count. And Chris is asleep on the sofa next to me.
Over the past couple of years I've been reading more fiction and trying to focus through a writer's eye. Expert use of well developed plot lines with clever, unexpected twists and sub-plots has always amazed - and intimidated - me. How do you outline all the little nuances of a story?
I suppose there are writers who do. Some who know their characters so well before they start a project that they know exactly how the story will begin, end, and foresee all the action in the middle.
Not me; at least, not yet. I think I finally understand, on a large scale, the concept of layering. For a scattered, somewhat ADD type like me, layering might just help make the leap between a finished project and the apprehension of starting one.
I'm thinking, too, that sub-plots will kind of take care of themselves. 9200 ~ words in to my story, I can see several areas of conflict, tension, and intersections between my characters that, I hope, will make this a proverbial page-turner.
Enjoying the ride!