And on to the Next One!

I think the life of Double Sunset has run its course.  This isn't a bad thing because it has brought me such indescribable joy and taught me invaluable lessons about myself.  

I'm slowly starting to set my sights on the next one, dragging behind me the experiences and memories of one of the most special times in my life.  I'm excited about seeing where the next book will take me.  Just like its "sister" story, it will change and grow and expand and deepen as the process chugs along.

I have no idea what the story is yet, very similar to the beginnings of DS. I have settled on a genre, I know the characters and the setting and bits and pieces of what I want to have happen but certainly not a plan to get there or an end in mind.  Maybe I am not meant to plan out a story first, this must be my writing style.  I think I would feel bogged down if I knew the beginning, the middle and the end and had to figure out how to get the characters through that particular journey, like solving a puzzle. I've never been good at puzzles.

This may be the most valuable thing I have learned from the DS experience.  My whole life has felt like this, it is familiar to me.  It is the reason I can't shop with coupons, keep an organized house, plan meals or keep a detailed schedule.  I am not a "see the whole picture" kinda gal. I prefer to just let life take me along because I become too bogged down with the details if I don't. 

I have also realized that this second story is not as easy to write.  Or did I feel this way at the beginning of writing Double Sunset?  I'm sure I did, it's all relative after all.  

The best part is that I have no restrictions on time or content.  I might be writing this story for the rest of my life or it could easily slide out in the next 6 months.  That is the beauty of it for me.  I will take time to allow the story to evolve. When I can, I will sit down and write pieces that jump into my head and eventually, just as it was with Double Sunset, I will see the story telling itself. That is the thrilling part for me, the part that makes me love being a writer!  The part that keeps me writing! But most of all I am excited about the "gifts" I will receive along the way! (see blog post 6) 

I think all too often (and in light of the state of the education system today) we create boxes out of our lives.  We are told how we are to do things, from how we should dress to how we should go about achieving success.  In math you have to follow these formulas, these patterns or this process to achieve a goal. Maybe this is why math and I have never clicked- sorry math we just don't. 

I always thought if I wrote a book I would have to map the story out first and know certain things in advance like the characters, the setting, the problem and solution, the rising action, the falling action, the climax blah blah blah you get the picture.  These are the things I had painstakingly taught my 5th graders and I truly believe that these are important for the majority of writers. These steps get the job done I would never disagree with that.  I am pretty sure that most writers who become very successful follow this same type of process. I am also pretty sure that I would never have written a story if I had forced myself to follow these steps. Instead I followed a different way, yes a risky one, but the one that works for me! 

So my writing toolbox may look very different than other writers but I wouldn't trade it. I am glad that I took the road less traveled and didn't allow myself to be put in a box. HMMM maybe that will be a "theme" for my new story :) 

Happy writing y'all~