Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?

Did you ever have to make up your mind?

I've been working--not as much as I should--on my new book this week and find myself standing at a crossroad.

Let me back up.

Before I write anything of magnitude, I compose several pages  (sometimes an outline [especially with historical fiction]) that detail the direction of the piece and highlight the major goals I want to achieve. So was the case with my current work in progress and everything was going well until . . . a major character did something he wasn't supposed to do.

Uh-oh!

Well, maybe not.

All of the planning in the world will never make up for the creative process that takes hold of the writer when pounding the keyboard in a fit of inspired genius. You may discover new developments  in character and plot (including the all-important subplots that add extra depth) that deviate from the original plan in such a way that the story becomes more believable/interesting. 

Having said that, you also can't be afraid to rewrite in order to stay on track. A new road isn't necessarily a good road and we do need to use our writerly foresight in order to determine if this new path is the right path.

So, what am I going to do? Well, the road not taken is supposed to make all the difference. Right? Right?

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As always, I love to hear from you.

If you’re in the cyber-neighborhood, drop me a line.

 

In the meantime, keep writing, reading, and smiling.
It’s contagious.