The Reader's Trance (followup)

I reread one of my scenes today, and I was able to trigger the trance response by reading my own work. It was only little bits at a time, because I kept getting the urge to edit, but it still happened. This is a very good thing. Maybe it is the writer's curse not to be able to imagine a scene and describe it at the same time. Maybe you have to do it frame by frame and if it creates a scene when you read it back, you're gold! Awesomeness is abound, faithful readers.

Back to work, back to work.

Take the next step

I just finished the plot outline for my book. I didn't outline my first book, I free-wrote it and I got stuck in several places. I still haven't worked those issues out. While I love the effect of free-writing, I am hoping the outline will help me to not become stuck. That's not to say that the events won't change as I fill things in, but at least it gives me an idea of where things are going.

Time to start filling in the details. I'm glad I got to this point because I can start reading again. I didn't want my storyline to be unconsciously influenced by anything I read so I stopped reading mid-book. Now that I have my story together, I think I'm ok to finish reading. This next step is both exciting and scary. This is where I will learn whether this is something I can actually do, or if my story will turn out ridiculous. I keep reminding myself that I have read published novels that are worse than what I already have so there is always hope. Plus it's fun. I make up stories all the time, so it is interesting to push myself to actually write them down.

Well, I've got my glass of Johnny red, trying to get sleepy so my characters don't keep me awake. (Larissa assured me that her characters keep her awake too, so I'm not crazy! At least not for that reason!)I can't wait to start filling things in, but I know I need to step away from it for to night and chew on it a little more. My brain doesn't agree though. Good night and blessed be, all.