Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Thinking...Rambling...Looking for Your Thoughts

I'm feeling a lot better finally!  I was getting restless yesterday and started writing out my Christmas cards.  I worked today and made it through the day, but I am tired now.  That's all right.  I can handle tired.  I don't want to handle tossing my cookies, sleeping all hours of the day, chills, body aches, etc.
So, back to the writing....I have this story that I've written about 100 pages on called Broken Promises.  To be honest, I was so confused with my NaNo manuscript for a while I thought I was working on this story.  I stopped writing on Broken Promises a few times because something else always seemed more important- a request from an industry professional for a different manuscript, contest entries, my own temporary switch to writing short contemporaries.  But I'm thinking that now is the time for this story.  I believe this story has SOOOOOO much potential.  I already love the characters and I've had other people ask when I'm going to write it.

BUT.....

The heroine has a REALLY LONG journey to take.  I have in my head (and my heart) these thoughts that she needs a story before THE STORY.  I believe she has to go through some things before she is ready to deal with the hero and the events in Broken Promises.  The problem I'm having, if I can call it a problem, is that the BEFORE story isn't long enough to be a novel and it's not about romance.  So it can't be BOOK #1.  And it's not short enough or simple enough to be a prologue for Broken Promises.  But Broken Promises IS a romantic suspense and the heroine does get her happily ever after.  The BEFORE story needs to happen as much for me as the it does for the heroine.  So, what are your thoughts?  Do I just write it for me and then tuck it away somewhere?  Do I spend quality time on it come January when I start back to "officially" writing?  (Remember, I'm taking December off after NaNo.)  How can I use it?  I mean, I know writing it will not be wasted because it will help me understand the heroine and the secondary characters (those who appear in Broken Promises) better, but is that all?      
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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 9, 2010 at 2:37 PM

    Okay, here's my thoughts: if you need to write this backstory to help you get to the story in the present, then by all means do it. It's not a waste of time. And just because it needs to happen for the the heroine doesn't mean the reader has to know all of it for them to appreciate the current story.

    I think you should write it so that you can get over the hump of telling this AWESOME story, then use what you can of it or not as required.

    My .02

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  2. UnknownDecember 9, 2010 at 2:48 PM

    I think you've got it in your head and it needs to come out. So, take the time and go for it. Even if it never becomes anything more than a bunch of backstory, you'll have a much better feel for your heroine.

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  3. AlexaDecember 9, 2010 at 6:23 PM

    Thanks, ladies! I'm pretty sure I'm going to set some time aside this weekend to work on it. YAY!

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  4. AnonymousDecember 10, 2010 at 3:41 PM

    I agree, get the backstory out, even if most of it doesn't end up in the final draft. At least you'll know the heroine well. Another idea, if the reader needs to see the heroine's background, what if she's a side character in another book? Her journey could start there, just in a smaller dose. Just a thought. Good luck!

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  5. AlexaDecember 10, 2010 at 3:54 PM

    Ah, yes, RBC, but that's what I've been doing and then those books get rejected and they always "build" on each other and so I've decided not to write characters that visit each others' books until I've got contracts!

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  6. AnonymousDecember 11, 2010 at 9:48 PM

    Ah, well that makes sense. :)

    ReplyDelete

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