That's really cool that your girlfriends do that for you! This is just a suggestion, but what if you write a scene you don't intend to include in the book? A compelling bit of backstory, or a totally improbably what-if scenario for your MC, etc. etc. You'll get the writing in, you could learn something about your character that you didn't know before, and you might even spark something that will tell you what's next in your book. At the very least, you'll have pages for your super supportive friends!
Thanks, JoyMC. My friends are very supportive... and kind of task masters. I do have a few ideas for scenes that I, in no way, can configure out how to incorporate into the book... so I could write one of those out. One is actually a very important "reveal" scene for something I'm not sure will ever actually be revealed.
Do you guys ever do that? Have scenes and background and emotions and stuff for your characters that never actually see the page?
Anyway, at this point... I figure that a lot of what I've written won't end up in the final book because I'm just so all over the place with my story, not having it hammered out and all. I doubt they'll know the difference. Plus, I do, regardless, need to get their input on an attempt at a revised voice... still have trouble with MG voice... especially a non-fake-British MG voice.
sissybaby said:
Well, Heza, I can certainly commisserate with you. (I think there's a misspelled word in there somewhere).
If it were me, I'd go and drink lots of wine and then tell them you've had an epiphany and don't want to spoil it, so you aren't going to read anything until you've switched it around.
But I'm not only a panster and a procrastinator, I'm also a liar, so that might not work for you.
Actually we're more alike than you think.
I sort of feel like I'm trying to come up with excuses for why I don't have my English homework done.
I did have an epiphany... to combat the apparent British Victorian feel of it, I'm thinking of solidly setting it in Boston. (What a research project that's going to be!) But I haven't done enough research to properly import any of it into my prose yet, and I hate to write and then go back in and sprinkle... then it's more "flavored" with setting, rather than built on it, if you know what I mean.
Anway, someone else suggested that I actually use tonight to start working on an outline and then instead of prose, make them read my outline and/or help me with it.
Thanks for the advice, guys. Both great ideas.