Finally, I wrote something last night. Not something to really brag about, just under 1000 words, but at least I wrote it. I could have kept going, but the clock read 1am and knowing I had to be up in 5 hours for work forced me to call it a night. As usual, the story comes to me at the most inopportune times. If I didn’t have a day job… ah the possibilities (maybe one day).
It feels oddly refreshing though to have finally written something new and not be focused on constantly reading and re-reading and taking an axe to what was once beautiful. Of course I still have plenty more of that “dirty” work to do, but a different part of the story (one I hadn’t written yet) approached me last night and so I let it run its course. I hope to be able to resume tonight.
I came across a bit of writing knowledge yesterday that dampened my spirit some. I’d always considered my book geared towards young adults, but according to some YA standards my main characters are too old for a YA novel. They are 21, but innocently so, having never experienced things that normal teenagers do (school dances, first kisses, friendship, etc…). I’ve seen some say that YA should be within the ages of 12-18, while others like the Wikipedia page say 14-21. I really don’t want to adjust the age of my characters because so much surrounds the age 21 in my story, but I also don’t want to force my characters to be more adult based if that’s the group of readers I will have to target (if it can’t be a YA novel). I don’t know what to do or think about this right now. I wish someone with experience in this could give me some more insight on the matter.
Moving on…
So because I seem to be incapable of going prolonged periods without at least mentioning music I have to say that I think me and music are starting to have a love-hate relationship. [The same goes for my IPod who continues to crash on me or make my PC do screwy things when I’m trying to update it.] I’ve been feigning music lately, more than usual – like a drug addict or something, but I’m blowing through new content as if it has an expiration date. Not that I’m getting bored with it or anything, but I keep coming across new stuff in large batches at a time and adding it to the “Stuff to check out” playlist and said playlist is a beast now! Somehow though, with all of these new tracks it still doesn’t feel like enough, like I actually still need more (something like 61 GB worth of music on my PC assures me that I don’t). And more is definitely NOT the answer because lately music has played a large part in my minds waste-of-time walk through La La Land.
Music has always created beautiful pictures in my mind. A scene that would fit the tone or lyrics of the song or images of memories that song has given me, but I really don’t need all of that imagination right now. I need to direct my creative forces into one thread of thought, not let it wonder around aimlessly and tease me with new ideas that I don’t have the time or energy to entertain.
I had a really good soundtrack put together while I wrote my book the first time and listening to that while writing never distracted me. But now that soundtrack is kind of null & void since the changes I’m making are so drastic and those songs will no longer have ties to the story. Several of the new tracks I’ve been listening to lately are book soundtrack worthy, but I want to hear all of the others too since they’re all new to me right now. Those other songs are the ones that are encouraging my wondering mind though because they’d make a nice soundtrack too just not to the story I’m currently writing.
(Sigh) Oh music, I love you so, but we’ve really got to find a happy medium between us and soon.
Peace – Sarah
————-
Note to Self: You were having a pretty good day until you decided to get creative and write a scene in the backseat of a car traveling through rolling hills – on an empty stomach – with unsatisfying music thumping right against your ear. Look at you now, feeling all sick and what not. What you wrote was good, but now you’ve possibly compromised your writing for the rest of the night. Could it have waited? Yes. Remember that next time.
————-