See, I kinda wrote myself into a roadblock ("wrote-block?") last week. The other werewolf in the story was intended to be a background, throwaway character, but then I got the bright idea to have him controlled by the villain (a powerful vampire) to attack the heroes. Actually I don't even think it was MY idea... it just happened on the page after he helped defeat the zombies, and I admired it. And... that idea totally held up the writing. My brain was screaming, "THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!" but the story is arguing by shouting back, "YUH-HUH!" My brain is stubborn... it's preventing the story from carrying on. My brain needs to learn to STFU and let the story tell itself! That was never a problem before!
Maybe my brain is getting senile and forgot how the writing process is supposed to go. I'm joking, but you know... that isn't totally implausible. I haven't written anything with any real sort of heft to it in over a decade. That writer brain may have atrophied! Maybe I should read one of my how-to-write books again.... or, you know, one I've never read for the first time.
I really don't have time to read a how-to-write book and be able to come even CLOSE to the NaNoWriMo goal. There's only four days left in the month. I could set a more realistic goal... like, ditch the November 30th deadline, relearn all the tricks, and finish the book when I'm prepared to do it RIGHT. But you know... within a reasonable time frame, too. Since I'm approaching the climax (or rather, what my stubborn brain thought the climax was going to be before the story pulled this twist shit), maybe I should set my deadline for New Year's Eve. If this story is destined to be a novella (or, you know... the first novella of a collection featuring these characters), it shouldn't take me from 11/26 to 12/31 to get to the ending, even if I take a break to read something helpful about story development. Hmm... Do I even HAVE any books on fleshing out story development? Time to check the external hard drive...
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Okay, I started reading a Kindle book on the computer called "English as She is Wrote," but it has quickly revealed to me that this is a humor title, not unlike "Eats, Shites, & Leaves." Normally, I love reading humor books about the English language... but not when I'm trying to educate myself so I can WRITE again! =P
I am such a hypocrite. I always thought writing was a natural talent, something that can't be taught... and here I am, after a decade of squandering what I thought of as "a natural talent," trying to TEACH myself how to do it again... Am I wrong? Is it best to just keep plugging along so I can learn these lessons on my own, as I did both before college AND publication (gee, I wonder if that's a coincidence?), or should I accept all the help I can get? I chided a friend for letting "how-to-write" books tell him what to do instead of relying on his brain... and here I am, thinking maybe I was the wrong one in that discussion...
Since I've exhausted the how-to-write resources on the external hard drive (nothing on basic plot development), maybe I should go to Amazon and look at my content and devices to see what e-books I have that would help... If I can read one here on the computer while BORED instead of messing around on my tablet and not READING, maybe it'll work... Lord knows I do more reading on the computer than in my room, anyway... I don't even remember what "how-to-write" books I have in hard copy anymore... other than the ones by Stephen King and Ray Bradbury. Oh, and The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics... but that's not going to help me with this story!
And if I can't get over this "wrote-block" in a timely manner, the least I can do is bulk up my word count by writing another story or poem or song. And on that note, I think I'll go try. If I come up dry, I can start reading one of my writing books... or maybe Google it... That's a good idea! If I can't add some words, I'll Google plot development and see if I can find some blogs on the topic. In the meantime... TTFN.