You know how sometimes you worry the writing just won’t come any more? It’s every writer’s greatest fear, only seconded by having the writing flow, but suck. I was very worried about being blocked after I turned in grades and collapsed exhausted for about a week. Finally, my brain lock loosened up and I started to work on the novel. Fourteen handwritten manuscript pages and I’m enjoying the process now – back to not worrying how crappy the draft might be.

This is the same novel I started a couple of years ago. I felt like I forced eight chapters out and then it wasn’t any fun any more. Why the drudgery? I finally had to ask myself, “Who is narrating this story, anyway, and why?” That was the pre-writing I did during the brain lock. And then I had to admit to myself, honestly, “Isn’t this just another boring character-based novel? Where’s the juice?” Other select few people who have seen or heard some of the draft have liked the writing – but to me it just seemed like it was a novel searching for a reason to be. Despite a well worked out plot and characters, needs, desires, all that.

The other question I had to ask myself before I could start with fresh enthusiasm was, “What is the mystery that’s present in the beginning of this story?” On several walks/drives I got answers to these questions and with hesitation (because who knows how it will work once it flows from concept to paper), risked the blank page. So far, it seems to be working. A new narrator, a new mystery to solve, a fresh perspective, and the ink is flowing and I write with a smile.

It may all turn out to be crap and a dead end, but at least I’m enjoying myself.