Moving Forward

So many novels started and so many wanting to be worked on and finished. How to choose which one to pull up and start writing? I'll pop a few of them up to look at but each wants more words added, so that idea doesn't work and in the end none get what they are crying out for.

I keep telling myself to pick one, then stick with it until the end and after that move to the next, but it isn't working. At least tonight wasn't a total bust. 2,514 words done, not good words but they're on the page. I did get the characters to move at least, so they aren't standing still. But, I did leave them with one standing and one sitting.

As I was finishing that goal for tonight a thought slithered through my head. Where the hell is Stella? Damn, she isn't even in this story, nor is she a main character. I do love her though. She's feisty, opinionated and loyal to a fault, well, once she's given another character 100% loyalty, and she'll never fail them no matter how bad it gets. Lusty Stella, she's fun to write, yet she knows her role and doesn't try to take over the story in any way, so she remains a secondary character even if an outspoken one. I wrote on that novel last week and I remember wonder then where she was, then it dawned on me that the part I was in is suppose to be inserted earlier in the story and she hasn't shown up yet. A bit of a downer for me at that time. Problem is, I really do have to finish this part and figure out where to paste it in before I can get back to where Stella and the others. Poor woman, even took a hit in the arm, but not a serious one.

Then there are the other novels that creep into my head and want a bit more written. If it was only one at a time it'd be much easier, but doesn't seem to happen that way.

If that wasn't enough, I have about three others that I have no idea what the damn story is suppose to be, but I do have the main characters and I'm quite fond of them. They've been patient, I'll give them that. They only whisper to me every now and then, so much better than characters screaming to have their story told.

A few are farther down the ladder, bottom rung to be exact. Not a peep out of those characters in forever. I'm not sure if they are waiting or have given up on me. I guess if they don't expect their story to be told they might take on roles in other ones some day.

At least I did get words on the page today, so that's something, regardless of the fact that too many times I felt I was forcing them. Something to work with in the future, is what I tell myself and that lets me keep moving forward.

All I have left to say is: This damn white background is burning my eyes!

Okay one more thing: Writing my stories on a black background has been a gift!

Writing & Rant (not related or sort of)

Rant first.

Seriously, if you're on a writing email list, which by the way has a membership of 2000+, please stop jabbering about your hormones and pregnancy sickness. I'm sorry but that's not why I joined; my reasons were to read about the writing process, how others are doing, good things that happen to them, the market - get the picture. Yes, I know about the hormone thing, been there, done that. Yes, I know about getting sick when pregnant, been there, done that, three times to be exact. Two or three members start going back and forth about this crap like their the only ones on some private list, well you're not. To be upfront, I have no problem with conversations like that at all, this just isn't the place to do it. And, I'm sure all the males on the list are having a ball. Not. So, please, go form your own email list and talk about all that stuff to your hearts content.

The fact that the owner seems to ignore these types of conversations that crop up from time to time irritates the hell out of me. Most he'll do is say something if others put up enough of a bitch about it. Sorry, guy, but that doesn't make you a very good owner/moderator. It's a shame you never want to make one or two other members moderators, but that's come up in the past and you declined. And, yes, I know a bit about your history, so have a pretty good idea why you chose to run it alone.
/rant

So, hanging around the NaNo forum board lately and it's nice to see some new people there getting ready for November. And some who are doing a few off season NaNos. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do, while working on two other projects that were started and now I'd like to get finished. Would love to have a more detailed outline than I've ever attempted before, not that I've done all that many.

Downloaded Liquid Story Binder last week (free for one day) and I keep looking and playing with that from time to time, but mostly end up feeling lost. I do think it would work quite well with the Phase System though, so may be doing some actual writing in it when the time comes. Oops, I'll have to set that up first, but before that I'll need to know where the hell my story is going. Right now I only have the beginning and a few scenes in my head. Maybe will try to hit the index cards first and hope that spits out something worth using.

Oh, and just downloaded ScribeFire to use so will see how this works and if it will help me keep up with blogging more often. It's a Firefox add-on and puts an icon on the Status Bar. Kinda nifty, if it works well.

Here's to writing, the rest of this summer and tons more in November!