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Friday, November 16, 2007

Blindfolded in the Dark

EDIT- I added a new picture or too. How could I forget? Next week is Style Week. I'm not kidding. Now go ahead and take a peek into my very crowded brain...

I never get writer's block. I just write crap instead. But I keep writing.

This week, a stunning thing happened. There I was, poking away at a story that I'm finding proportionately hard to write considering how much fun the story itself is. Or, how much fun it should be. The story itself is sweet and kind of funny and not nearly as dark as what I've written before. The more I get to know my characters, who are interesting and good hearted, the more I like them. Finally I'm writing about horses, and rock and roll!

Fun, right?

So why is it like wading through wet cement?

I may be putting too much pressure on myself. I do that. I am my own worst critic. I have been pecking away at it regularly and not giving up on it. But so far it's been a bunch of unsatisfying words with a few decent paragraphs scattered throughout it. It's not any shade of brilliant. I know it doesn't even get a faint glow until I've been through it two or three or nine times, but still, it's not as much fun as I wanted it to be!

More specifically, the story in my head is waaay more exciting that the one on my computer screen.

What's missing? What am I not getting? What is it that will make this story click?

Yesterday, it slowly settled on me.

My main character was holding back some information.

She's so good at keeping this little bit of info to herself that even I didn't see it at first!

And when I figured it out, it all made sense. Everything. I got this feeling of peace. I'd always known what direction this story would take, but now I know why.

It's okay- she won't regret my knowledge. I'll tell her story the right way.

The truth is, it has't been a good week for writing. The kids had the day off school on Monday and basically spent it inventing new ways to damage each other. My man took a few days off work to build the back porch and I of course got pressed into shoveling gravel and holding wooden beams and fetching tools. When I did sit down to write it felt hard to get into. Like I said, a little at a time I pushed my way through, but it wasn't always easy.

The best thing about writing though, is that it's my story, and I am free to cut all of the crap out before I show it to anyone!

Here's what's in my head for this story...




























































That's only half the story though...because I'm sort of working on another one at the same time. We'll see which one gets to the finish line first.

24 comments:

CindyDianne said...

Ahhh Carhart. Ahhh Johnny. Ahhh spotted horse friends with interesting horsanilities. Ahhh Rock and Roll.

I really like this story already!

Coffeypot said...

When I frist stared reading this, my first thought was, "Put the keyboard away and go ride a hrose." But then I noticed what was in your heart and, so, I decided I won't comment.

Biddie said...

I really don't know how you get anything else done, ever with all of that stuff rattling around in yer head.
Van Halen?

Heidi the Hick said...

Without rock solid bass playing, frenetic drums, shredding guitar, a flamboyant frontman and awesome background harmonies, this story could not exist.

(and my house is still trashed.)

Anita said...

Wow... Great story!! lol... No words, but what a concept!!

I can't imagine anyone getting anything done WITHOUT tons of stuff rattling around in their head...

CindyDianne said...

Right now, the stuff rattling around in my head is that the Biba Security architecture model addresses integrity. The 3 tenets of Information security are Integrity, Confidentiality and Availability. There are 7 levels of RAID. ISO came up with the Common Criteria. And so on.

Wanna trade? I'd like to have some horse and frenetic drums going on...

Michael Colvin said...

I just read Cindy's comment and understood it. It's time to get outta I.T.

Any news on the agents queries Heidi?

Nölff said...

I wrote you a story"
::::... ;;.. . . . ;;;; . ; .; .
;/;;... :::...

It's in braille

Heidi the Hick said...

Geez Cindy, go visit your horse before your brain explodes! I'm worried about you!

Anita...I'm hoping this story actually works!

NOlff! wow, that's the best story I've ever felt.

Tod, about the agent queries-

I sent it to 9 agents.

Three have rejected it.

One is considering it.

I am, surprisingly, really happy about the considering because even though I realized it could turn into a no...it could also turn into a yes. And that agent represented a book that blew my mind this summer. I hope she says yes.

As for the rejections, they are good rejections. They're all encouraging and positive and say things like, "Good luck in finding an agent who will do justice to what sounds like a project with a lot of potential" and like, "Although I am not the best agent for this novel I encourage you to continue you search" and like, sort of, "You don't actually suck all that bad so by all means keep going with this thing."

Sort of.

raine said...

oh my - who, who is the bad boy above Johnny? who?

Heidi the Hick said...

Ah! THAT is Tim Commerfield from Rage Against The Machine.

He is amazing.

Heidi the Hick said...

pfffft

CommerFORD!

Tim Commerford!!!

I can't believe I got that wrong! And I call myself a fan!

Okay to be fair, on the Rage albums he's usually going by "Timmy C" or "Tim Bob" so I guess it's an understandable mistake...

But still! I'm sorry Timmy C!

Heidi the Hick said...

WHO CAN NAME ALL THE ROCK STARS??????

CindyDianne said...

-Phoenix
-Shakespeare
-The Beatles
-Phoenix
-Tim Burton
-Van Halen (David Lee Roth)
-Phoenix
-Um, Alexisonfire
-Heidi’s booted foot with spur
-Sound board
-Sound board
-John Mayer
-Microphone
-Jerry Garcia? This is the one that threw me.
-Nikki Six
-Tim Commerford
-Johnny Depp
-KickAss Carhartt



What do I get?

Heidi the Hick said...

YOU ARE GOOD!!!

Everybody, Cindy Dianne is one smart chick!!!

(Bucky wants everybody to know that the soundboard is a Digi Icon. Aren't you glad you know that now?)

(Alexisonfire hasn't reached Texas yet, eh? They're a southern Ontario band. Nice guys who shred like monsters!)

Sooo....anybody want to guess who the mystery bassist is?

Heidi the Hick said...

Oh sorry- I almost forgot

Your prize is my undying admiration.

(you already had it but you get the bonus!)

raine said...

Tim Commorford...does it really matter what his name is? oh my....

Doughnut said...

You are definitely a visual person Heidi. The hard part is creating the vision you have so that others see it exactly as you do or close enough that they get it. I think us regular readers of your blog have an idea where you are some, if not most of the time :) But then we have the advantage of knowing you for a longer time than a reader picking up a book you authored for the very first time.

Someday we may all be priveleged to read (and hopefully have an autographed copy) of your first published work. I can hardly wait!

FOUR DINNERS said...

mmmmmm...blindfolded in the dark eh? Now that could be a good story.

CindyDianne said...

Alrighty then, you've made me wait long enough? Who is grey haired dude with the bass guitar?

terry said...

i love the idea of using these pics to try to piece together the story. will we get to see the story when it's finished?

Lynn Sinclair said...

Cool that you can share your story visually.

Heidi the Hick said...

It's so interesting to read the reactions that everybody has to these pictures!

I am trying to decide how much of this story to reveal. I don't think I can let out much more than what I've said. I'm not superstitious, but I just don't think I can let anything more be known yet.

It's not a real thing yet!

Also I kind of like it that I can keep ya guessing...

And for those of you (Cindy) who have waited patiently, the grey haired dude with the bass guitar is...

drum roll...

DEREK SMALLS FROM SPINAL TAP!!!!

With his custom made 6 string, 6 pick up bass!

Derek is an inspiration to me!!

CindyDianne said...

I am glad to know, because I would have never figured it out without help! Thanks!