Off and Running

Listening to: Rise Against, "Life Less Frightening"

For several days there, I was really avoiding my revisions. Probably that whole "character motivation" thing. I had no idea how I was going to pull that off, and I knew it would be somewhat difficult, and I haven't written anything new in this novel for at least two months. That's usually a recipe for procrastination. Plus, you know...I've got Christmas coming up, and more doctor appointments than I can shake a stick at.* Fun!

But I finally settled down and skimmed through the MS a few nights ago, searching for the perfect spot to slip in something--I wasn't really sure what, yet--to explain my antagonist's actions. We see so little of her, since the novel is written in first person from the protagonist's POV (natch). So I sat down and thought--who do her actions hurt the most? Then I brainstormed until I came up with a reason, something from her past, that would make her hate that person/group. And I wrote it.

Easy as that.

It might not be any good...I don't know, I'm too close to it just yet. It might totally disrupt the flow. It might just suck. Gotta give it some time, then look at it again.

But in the meantime, I've shaken off the procrastination and am off and running with the revisions. The big, hard part is over, and now I have a hundred little things and ten medium sized things to fix.

Lesson for next time: Get the tough part out of the way first, and the rest will follow.

_____________
Going to a reunion show for my friends' band tonight, which should be really fun. Maybe a hockey game tomorrow. And lots of cleaning and maybe even some baking in the meantime. So, what are your plans for the weekend? Anything fun on the menu?


*But I finally got some good news last week--I have no cavities! My 6-month cleanings and teeth checkups are always a source of anxiety, because I've heard two-digit numbers and the word "cavities" in close proximity before. And I have three crowns. But for once, I walked out of the dentist's office and knew I didn't have to come back for six whole months! It's funny...they know me so well there, because they used to see me so much...they know how many siblings I have, that I'm a writer, what I write, and mine & TH's nickname for the dentist ("McDrilly"--they always used to talk about Gray's Anatomy while working on my teeth). They freaking know me. Maybe this little break will give them a chance to forget....