There is a period of time after I’ve finished a project where I’m at loose ends. When I’m between projects, I’m most likely to be depressed and unsure about what I’m doing. But, I can’t create the idea for a new book on demand — at least not instantly.<\/p>\n
Over the past three or four days, an idea has started to form about what my next book will be. Yesterday, I created the database entry (opus 0094) and set up the directory for the project on my computer. All I have is the template for my project file and a vague plot outline. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be doing research and starting my outline.<\/p>\n
Outline writing is my own private introduction to the story. In it, I learn who the characters are and what they want. By the time I’m done, I’ll know what happens and the destiny of my characters. I don’t know that yet, and it is an exciting time, the time of discovery.<\/p>\n
Research has already started. Some things I don’t even realize I need to know. I’ll learn on the fly. But others are so critical to the plot and character development that I have to ask a few questions before I can even start to name my characters.<\/p>\n
This afternoon, I drove over to Taylor, looking for small motels. That is my starting point. The main character in the story works at a family owned and operated motel in a small town. I walked into a little place, and the main desk was unattended. There was a bell and I could have slapped that button and the lady would have appeared instantly, but instead I waited, looking over the office, examining the photos and plaques on the wall, soaking up the paperwork on the desk between the phone and the machine that programs the plastic keys. <\/p>\n
Images are starting to form. Ideas for events are starting to gel. It’s a good time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There is a period of time after I’ve finished a project where I’m at loose ends. When I’m between projects, I’m most likely to be depressed and unsure about what I’m doing. But, I can’t create the idea for a new book on demand — at least not instantly. Over the past three or four… Continue reading Starting a New Book<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[1],"tags":[192,81],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4t90x-RA","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3322"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3322"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3323,"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3322\/revisions\/3323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrymelton.net\/2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}