January 13, 2013 
So here we are, post time of the week 🙂 I hope everyone has had a fulfilling week full of words.
I know I haven’t. Not the best start to the year, huh? Well I won’t go as far as saying that, I’m not going to start getting too hard on myself. I know for a fact that I don’t want to lose sight of the whole ‘writers journey’ aspect of my blog so I think it’s important that I talk about my WIP – which I do think about all the time.
I’ve been thinking about ways I can challenge my main character, Emma. Just to refresh your memory (and to all my newbie followers) Emma is suffering psychosis brought upon by a relationship breakdown. She thinks she has murdered her ex-boyfriend (she hasn’t) and doesn’t understand how everybody wants to help her (she is institutionalized). So. After writing many many paragraphs between her struggles with coming to terms with her psychosis the story became a little stale. Yes, it’s written in first person so it’s very much like a diary but even a diary can get repetitive. I don’t want to throw anything ‘lovey’ in the mix – after all, this is not a love story. But I definitely want to add something. Of course, almost all stories need a twist….Stay tuned.
I’m happy to tell you that for the past week and a half I have been immersed in a new book I’m reading. It’s Stephen Kings’ 11-22-63. I’m about to praise the hell out of it so be warned. I am only half way through (and after a week and a half I can’t believe it – we all know how HUGE his novels are….) but once I start reading I cannot put it down. What I find utterly marvelous is how this man can have such wonderfully developed characters so soon into his books. By the second page of 11-22-63 I feel like I’ve known the main character for years. And there aren’t any spangly descriptions. Just superb writing skills. I’ve never read a book with such well-defined characters this early into it. It is so inspiring. Mr King deserves to be Knighted. Or be made a Saint. He really is (in my humble opinion) Gods gift to writing. Once I’m finished I will review it properly, I don’t want to give too much away (spoilers). But if you have read it, let me know what you think.
So, this was the week that was. Hopefully, by next weeks post I will have contributed more to the WIP. Wish me luck! 🙂
Illa Poeta 
11-22-63 sounds fantastic! I may need to get myself a copy.
Best of luck with your WIP – I know what it’s like wen you reach that point and writing in first person can be very difficult at times. 😀
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I just finished the book a couple of days ago and I am having withdrawals. Its such a big book anyway (800+ which is normal for Stephen King) so it consumed all my spare time. It was so gosh. darn. good!
As for the WIP, yes, it’s extremely draining writing in first…..but I find I do write better and faster this way. As draining as first can be, I find writing in the third tiresome and repetitive. But, it’s all good. Thanks for your support 🙂
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I listened to 11-22-63 as an audiobook, and it was brilliant. I find that Stephen King can range from downright terrible to okay to pretty good, but every once in awhile he hits the perfect note with a novel (like The Stand and The Shining.) It was nice to see he’s still got that in him.
I usually write in third person, but my current project is in first person—and it’s kicking my butt. First person is just really hard for me. It reads too much like a diary—I did this, then I did this, then this happened. I feel like I’m telling a story at the reader rather than to them.
As far as “adding something” goes, I can’t really offer too much in the way of suggestion because I don’t know what works with what you have in mind, but it might be a good idea to spend some words exploring a relationship. I know you said you don’t want anything “lovey” (I tend to shy away from romance in my own stories) but there are all kinds of relationships: friends, family, mentors, enemies, etc. Perhaps you could pull someone in who is in no way a love interest but is still important.
Best of luck.
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Thanks for the suggestions and I think I may explore a new relationship twist. I know that my MC develops a fondness for her nurse so I could develop on that. Its surprising how much the nurse has featured in the story so far. He is in almost every scene.
Thanks for the input, its definitely helped 🙂
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Oh good 🙂
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Psycho-thriller! Your WIP sounds amazing! I can’t wait to see what twist you end up adding… 🙂
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Thanks Julie! I’m looking forward to finding out the twist too lol 🙂
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