These are the thoughts of a Texas transplant in West Michigan who makes his living as a newspaper reporter by evening, and a struggling novelist by day.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The book

Here I sit, late once more, tired. I worked on school stuff, lesson plans for tomorrow night's class.

I did not get a chance to write today. I've been constant in my writing of my book. I pump out a few thousand words a day. Yeah, I know it's not a whole lot, but let's just say I've been away for some time from the word game. I figure as time goes by I will increase my word count on a daily basis.

For all of you who don't know, I'm writing a book on zombies. Yes, zombies. I really dig 'em. Sure vampires are cool and ghosts are freaky, but zombies mesmerize me. So about a month ago right before break I was watchign some low-grade zombie flicks and my mind started churning. Instead of stopping after a few turns, it kept on going. And going. And going.

soon, I'd created a mental plot of it in my head. I got to talking to friends about it and more ideas started forming. I soon created characters and began and finished a relatively large outline.

I took a deep breth and began. I have a prologue that I was dubious about. I was unsure if it would work or not, maybe give away something or a lot. I had a friend read it and she informed me that I gave nothing away. She liked it. I was pleased. I liked the prologue. It set up the story with some serous intrigue. I know it needs some roughing out, but as a whole, hey, it's pretty cool.

The thing about the prologue is, well, it is the end of the story. Technically a prologue might set up what's about to happen. Mine works the opposite. The reader knows that there are three people on a small boat (more like a glorified raft) on Lake Michigan. There is a man and a woman and the person telling he story (the prologue, anyway) but we don't know if it is a male or female. Then I go backward to the beginning back six months earlier.

And that's where I'm at now. I'm weaving my way through about five or six main characters and how they interact in the story and with each other. no zombies yet. I'm used t orushing head-long into things like that. But why? it's a book and it needs time for development of blot, characters and other stuff. So I'm holding off on the Zs for right now. There is, however, plenty of intrigue with the characters, at least the way I've set it up. There is that to keep readers entertained and wondering. Until they show up in the book.

Did I give away anything? Maybe only to the two or three souls who will read this. I'm sure it will remain a big secret to the outside world.

You know what? I'm enjoying creating. I think it's one of the ost fun aspects of writing. Creating gives you power to build something that is wholly in your mind. It might be fun or dark; it might delight or scare people. Ultimately you reveal dark secrets about yourself when you write, fantasies, thoughts, ideas. It's like letting everyone take a glimpse of your heart and seeing everythign that is your being. Oh well, it's OK. As I said, it's fun toe create. Let the imagination take you aon a journey through the unknown andinto lands foreign to you but that bring you peace and joy as you move ahead.

So my journey has begun and he scenery thus far is delightful. Soon it will be dark. Fun for me, anyway. Haha