a small breakthough!

In the past couple of days, I’ve found myself writing several pivotal scenes for the novel. One of the major plots in the novel has to do with a twist in Ryan Harper’s career. There’s lies and embezzlement, but nothing solid to go on, only Ryan’s sister Natalie’s instincts. Natalie goes to Ava with the concerns, and the business-like Ava sprinigs into action, getting help from her sister Lily’s record label head Rachael. It’s the conversation with Rachael that makes Ava see that instead of thinking of the situation as business, she should be thinking as a friend. Where has that line been since I started this!? Color me pleased, let me tell you!

I think that using the Get Your Words Out! community has been incredibly helpful again. A week or so ago, a moderator posted a prompt challenge type thing about writing a letter to or from a character to boost word counts. I took that challenge up and ended up not doing it as a letter, but more in a freewrite style. I used the idea to almost do journal entries by my characters. And what I learned is that Ava has her worries and stress, and Ryan is terrified to speak up. It made their stories pop out to me a bit more–something I can finally start plotting. I plan to do these for Lily and Nathan too, even though I already know Nathan’s story. Lily is going to be harder, but I think this prompt thing will help me figure out what the heck she is doing in this novel.

The creativity for this single project is finally start to creep back. I think I am settling into a small groove on who the characters are, and what they have to contribute to the plotline. Of course, I have to tie said plot all together, and to be honest, I’m not sure how that is going to happen, but it will!

I’m starting to wonder if maybe I need to learn (or really, to take the time to…) to outline. I hated it as a kid in school, but I wonder if it might help me pull my plot together. Huh. Sounds like a Google search for writing outlines is in order.