Sunday, November 11, 2012

When Random Characters Appear . . .

Sometimes we can't control the creative process, no matter how hard we try. There are so many times when I've sat down in front of my computer to work on a piece of fiction, and a completely different character appeared on the pages. I'm trying to learn how to let those characters have a voice, even if I don't like what they have to say very much.
For example, I've been working on a middle-grade fiction novel, and it's taken off in a completely unexpected direction. What originally started out as a "don't judge a book by its cover" theme has evolved into a story about bullying and how hard elementary school can be. I suppose it's to be expected. My own years in elementary school were very difficult and I definitely encountered my fair share of "mean girls," so I'm trying to go with where the story is taking me. I wanted the book to be lighthearted and fun, but maybe, just maybe, based on my own life experiences, I have a different story to tell.
Regardless, I'm 7,000 words into a 20,000 word goal, and I began working on this story on Nov. 1. I decided to do my own modified version of NaNoWriMo. Based on what I've accomplished so far, I'm thinking the narrator of this book definitely has something important to say.
Happy writing!

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