The Way Back

I've had trouble finding my way back after being sick for almost six weeks. Finally, I feel almost normal so it is time to return to putting words on the page. The momentum I conjured during November and continued with through December has fled. The mere thought of working on The Valiant is filling me with dread. Writing the first draft wasn't as hard as editing has been.

CuzWriMo was a bust. I  started the first chapter of The Hunted four times. I can see the opening scene in my mind. My main character is driving her beat up inherited Volvo down the interstate with the windows down. It is early summer and she is still searching for her runaway partner. The difficult part is summarizing what happened in The Valiant in a non-boring non-exposition manner. What details do I reveal for people who didn't read the first book and what do I leave out?

My cousin didn't fare much better. As I healed, she became ill. We both signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo next month. I want to lock away the inner editor and feel free to vomit my story on the page. The draw back will be the editing process after the month is over, but I want to get the story down before it leaves me and I forget what happens.When I envisioned The Valiant, it felt like a series or at the least a trilogy. The story was bigger than one book.

I remind myself the important thing is I am writing again, no matter how terrible the words are. I didn't write anything of substance for almost two years. Finding my path again feels good.