Joely Sue Burkhart

I’m out of my comfort zone, entirely, with this next project.  Just writing the backstory is exciting, and terrifying.  I’ve already had several discussions with my Beloved Sis, bless her heart, and I haven’t even started page 1 of the real novella yet!  This is one of those stories that I could never have written before now, for a variety of reasons.

There is one particular defining moment that I’ve got to get right for Conn and Rae before a single word of story will work.  It’s raw, uncomfortable, and wrought with conflict.  Out of five years of backstory, I know everything about them, EXCEPT for one week.  One very vulnerable, tense week.  Both of them make mistakes with huge consequences.  Mistakes that will take 30K to fix in the novella (or more).  But they’ve got to be REAL believable mistakes, defining their characters, their beliefs, everything about them. 

Without this exploration, the main story is nothing but fluff.

So as agonizing as it is to dig deeper into their angst-riddled past, I must.  Another 3300+ words tonight in prework for ”Letters to An English Professor” or “Fix-It Lady” or whatever the heck I end up calling it.

I also edited 3 pages or so of TFW.  I meant to do more, but I’ve got to get this backstory right so I can finish plotting the darned thing.  I need to know the mistakes of the past to make sure they face–and overcome–those same pitfalls in the Dark Moment.  Fear.  A good hero’s journey is all about fear.

Even my own.

So how many times have you seen Lord of the Rings–and did you watch it again this weekend?  :D  I caught the last of The Return of the King last night.  It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen it, I still love it.

This was a great weekend writing wise.  I finished The Fire Within Saturday night, and spent some time on Sunday smoothing the last 27 pages into the main draft.  Then I started at the beginning and began re-reading and editing, through the first 9 pages.  Much more work is required.

Ah, but Sven is a tough taskmaster and demanded new words.  From where, you ask?  Why, my next project of course.  No rest for the weary. 

I began writing backstory for the next novella I’m tentatively calling “The Fix-It Lady.” (very likely to change, although that’s a big part of the theme)  A whopping 2,786 words in backstory.  Too much?  Nope–because none of this will actually end up in the main story.  I need to get the details straight in my head, first.  The heroine’s name is Rae (different from what I planned to use in Unbelieveable, the very old first attempt), and she was a very different person 4 or 5 years ago.  This is very much a reunion story! 

Conn’s pretty much the same, other than being older, harder, and more determined than ever to get what he wants.  Okay, so he’s changed quite a bit from my original vision, too.  I can’t help it.  This picture Anna sent me of Clive Owen just did me in.  I saw it, and KNEW it was Dr. Connagher and his personality changed accordingly.

*drools* 

I even know some of the theme music for this novella already.  As odd as it may sound, it’s Johnny Cash, particularly Man in Black.  It’s not the lyrics, so much, but the movie Walk the Line that’s inspiring the theme of the story.  I was *this close* to using Joaquin Phoenix for Conn, until I remembered I already had this wonderful picture in mind.  This picture defines Conn in my mind.  There’s a certain look in his eyes…  And away I go into unchartered territory.  Yeah, that’s vague, but I can’t help it.  Maybe you’ll see what I mean in some Friday Snippets, if I’m brave enough to share.

Okay, so my plans this week are:

1. Continue smoothing the first draft of The Fire Within with intent to submit to Drollerie by Sept. 30th. if not sooner.  I need it ready to go ASAP to accompany SMF for the larger distribution sites.
2. Continue plotting and prework of The Fix-It Lady, with intent to start this project in earnest Sept. 1st.  My goal is to have a rough first draft of a 30K+ novella by Sept 16th when I go to the Twin Cities for the EDJ.  Maybe that’s pushing it, but I’m ITCHING to write this story.  I have a feeling it’s going to fly.

How about you?