Sometime after last Thanksgiving, my muse began to harry me
to finish my most recent work-in-progress: Duty, Honor, Murder. Since I’d
started to write—that is, plot
it—years earlier for an online class, I was equally anxious to finish the first
draft. I did, in fact, write The End
on December 31, 2012.
I gave myself a round of applause, a few pats on the back
and mentally added another glass of champagne to my New Year celebration. My
mouth started to water, anticipating the extra large chocolate bar I’d get at
my next RWA chapter meeting as a reward for finishing.
On January 2nd I reviewed and posted my critique
partners’ comments and suggestions. (I try not to start revisions until I
finish the first draft—otherwise I keep fiddling until even I can’t recognize
the story I intended to write.)
About the middle of February I finished adding a bunch of
scenes in my latter chapters and handed everything off to my cps for what I
hoped was a final review, but I found myself making excuses not to post what
they’d already given me.
Now, every writer is used to the muse taking off for
vacation—sometimes for far longer than we like. This time, however, my muse was
waiting on me.
I looked at other stories I had started, but those were
pages and pages (and pages)—all handwritten. Have I mentioned that I really
hate to type? Typing is at the very top of my least favorite writing tasks—a
fraction higher than trying to teach my dictation system to understand me. I
have the same issue with my cell phone not recognizing commands, so I can’t
blame the software—even though I’d like to.
Anyway…I was mired in a morass of my own making. Reduced to
watching television reruns while my muse whispered foul names and threatened to
leave me—this time forever.
It was while watching a program I’d recorded that inspiration
struck. I realized I’d procrastinated because I didn’t have something brand new
to work on; now I did! And I can type it in small increments.
If only I knew where the story was going! But that’s the joy
of being a pantser—the unexpected is such fun. And the muse is celebrating with
me.
Am celebrating my ménages. Check them out.
