A Writer’s Life: Tell the right story.
It’s no secret I’ve been struggling with The Irish Project. And last night, as I was getting ready to sleep, I finally figured out why. I had my heroine. I had my main plot. My side characters are great.
But as it turns out, I had the wrong villain.
I set down my kindle last night (current read: Rule of Wolves, Leigh Bardugo) and reached up to turn off the light it hit me. I grabbed the notebook that I keep on my nightstand and scrawled it down quickly. Then I lay awake for thirty minutes trying to work it out.
These are the moments that make me happy; that tell me I am on the right path, and I only need to get out of my own way. Sometimes, they come easily. Sometimes, I have to wait for them.
I really had to wait for this one. I can only now hope it was worth the wait, and that I’ll be able to weave the new villain into the story, replacing the old one (but keeping her in my pocket for later!). I’ve worked on it a bit this morning, and will keep working on it until I have enough pieced together to get back to my writing.
I miss it; the writing. I’ve done nothing truly creative since I got home from vacation aside from scrawling down notes and backstory for my current list of characters. I need to get back to my happy place.
My writing place.
I tell you this, in case you’re a struggling writer. In case you have a story inside you that you want to write but can’t.
There is a reason you can’t. Something is holding you back. Your muse is unhappy and until she smiles, keep looking for whatever is blocking your path.
Then push it off the path and get moving.
