I’ve had way too much caffeine this morning. My hands are shaking and my stomach’s a mess. HOWEVER. I’ve also had a lovely, lovely brainstorming session. I’ve figured out the high points of the first nine chapters of the next novel (Harp of Fire.) Then I have six chapters where I know a few things that happen, but not chapter-sized ideas. Then the last two chapters of the novel, which I’ve had plotted out for a couple of years now.

I think I need to push more, figure out what’s going to happen in those middle chapters, or else I think the novel won’t hang together well enough and will need a lot of retrofitting. That’s what happened with novel #2. I didn’t plan enough at the beginning and the plot got lost, so I had to do lots of rewriting.

But I’m very happy with what I have planned so far. By doing this very basic outlining (20 words summarizing what happens in three chapters) I’m able to keep it really active. Yes, things happen to the characters, but it’s all told actively — “Derik does X, Y, Z”. This really helped in terms of Sa’el, who by his very nature is a more passive character. Summarizing made me switch things around for his chapters, made him more active.

Now that my life has settled down a little, I am planning on getting back to pen porn Fridays. I have a few ideas for posts — flower pens, fantasy pens, erotic pens, etc.

Hope everyone is having a marvelous weekend!