It was going so well, too...

Writing, as I wind down on the book that is due December 1, has gone well the past couple of weeks. I've gotten out of a snarl or two. I've said--right out loud-- "Where in the world did that come from?" when the plot took off on its own in the middle of the night and came back with surprises. I've told Duane, "I can't write one more word. My brain is just totally fried," before coming back out to the office and writing some more.

I love it.

I was writing on Friday or Saturday, and the words were coming easily. (That right there should have been a warning sign, shouldn't it?) I wrote most of a scene, and while I'm not going to say it was poetic or lyrical--although it's fine with me if you do--but it was, you know, pretty good stuff. I was thinking about how to wind up the scene. I do the last-sentence-dramatic-moment too often, but it's still my favorite way to click onto the asterisk line and prepare for the new beginning each scene is.

And then...

I realized something wasn't quite right. I wouldn't be able to wind up the scene
because even though I enjoyed reading it, my people were leaping out of character so fast and so often they looked like those fish that jump up out of the water if you throw in a handful of Cheetos. It's as if a scene from another book was dropped in and the characters' names changed to match those of my people.

It stopped me cold. I gave myself the rest of the weekend away from the story. When I go back to it tomorrow morning (I'm writing this on Sunday night), I hope to find either (1) an easy fix, or (2) my muse came in and took care of the mess herself. I'm figuring on (3) a bunch of moaning and whining and word-tossing-out and maybe a cuss word or two.

How do you think it will go? And, more to the point, have you ever done this? If you have, how did you get yourself out of it?


Comments

  1. I’ve suffered all the writing dilemmas, so I feel your pain! Stepping away usually helps, but maybe you need to set this scene aside for another story?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know. I think it's stuck to this one. I'm thinking it'll need to be either heavily revised or cut (in which case I'll make stock from the bones ) but haven't had the nerve to open it up this morning. :-)

      Delete
  2. Oh, man, I hate it when that happens and yeah, I've done it on darn near every book. It usually happens to me at the same time--just when I think I'm rolling ahead full steam. Crit partners are good for helping get me out of that kind of writing bind. Another opinion sometimes show you where you got off track or sometimes, that you didn't at all, but you're too close to see it. Good luck--I know you can do this. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You may end up seeing up close whether I can or not. :-)

      Delete
  3. I'm hoping for the easy fix and the muse that's been working overtime...but even if it's sloggy and painful, you can do it! I feel your pain!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kristi. I imagine we've all done this--I don't know for sure why I'm the Drama Queen of the week!

      Delete
  4. I don't suppose you want to go back and change their characters to match the scene. (Kidding) Good luck, and may the muse be with you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You can still make it work. A tweak here, a change of POV there, suddenly, it all makes sense.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Cheryl. I never got there today, so I hope the extra day away will help!

      Delete
  6. I agree with Cheryl. You may turn it all around with a few small changes. Good luck, Liz. You can do it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've been there so often I know the color scheme of the writer's dungeon. For a few days, I ignore that WIP and move onto another. I typically keep 3 stories going at once for emergency mental relief. I like a break from my WIP now and then. Maybe I just have ADD. LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So you're the one who chose the salmon color for the walls? Lol. I don't know how you do it, Vonnie, but you have my admiration. I can barely keep ONE straight, although I do have a Sunday book...

      Delete
  8. Yes, been there, done that. I found some scenes that weren't working simply needed a change in the point of view character. Or complete excision, in which case I save the scene for use in another story. I'm sure your answer will come and you'll work it out the way you want.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Cat. I'll look a the POV today--sometimes that does help.

      Delete
  9. Oh my! My latest story in rough draft was paced. I wrote for a long while. Stopped and thought. Went back one, two or three days later. Took about two months, but my head was level the whole time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've had a really good day today. I think every manuscript gets weird at one point or another--but this one took me by surprise!

      Delete
  10. Do I ever do this? All the time. And if I had a way out, maybe I'd have a completed manuscript to show you. LOL. I recently had a wild hare idea for suitcases and almost went down that hole. But, instead I took notes and wrote down thoughts, and am letting it peculate until I begin the second draft and then I'll see if it will work.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment