Writing Weirdness

Writing is full of little oddities. For example, I've been struggling for the last few days with "Clans" to get any decent amount of work done, but the words just would not come. I was supposed to be starting a really big scene with my MC -a scene I've been looking forward to writing for a long time now- but it just wasn't happening. finally, I decided to jump to a small side scene that I hadn't planned on or outlined, and BAM! The words started flowing and I wound up with a plot twist I never considered before. Over 2,600 words on my lunch hour. Weird, huh?

I really need to stop fighting the characters and start listening when they tell me I'm going wrong. (It's their story after all!)I tend to panic when I can't get the words moving, thinking I'm just out of steam and I try to push through it. Maybe that's the wrong approach; maybe letting the characters have free reign is the only answer. I'm thinking it's not lack of steam that gets me, but just being on the wrong path. Free-forming it for a while and following where the dialog leads seems like it always works. I've done that several times on this novel, but I still panic and try to force things each time it happens. Ah well, who knows? Maybe writing it here will make me stop and think about going around the wall instead of through it, eh? (not holding my breath though!)

Back for a full day in the office today (finally!) and getting a lot done. I do a lot of writing in my day job as well: I do software and design training so I'm constantly writing up outlines, instructionals, etc. Strangely, I find it easier to write my fiction on days when I've written a lot of technical stuff. You'd think it would be the opposite, wouldn't ya? Maybe my brain needs to get out some good old fashioned imaginings before I turn into another brain-dead, zombie, technocrat with a pocket protector and horn rimmed glasses. Whatever the reason, it seems the more I do at work, the more I do with my writing. Don't know why that is, but I'll take it any day!

Later!