Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Why, why, why?

Why didn't I finish my book today?
I woke up today with every intention of going out to write. And then, once again, I convinced myself that I could stay at home and get the same amount of work done.
I took a shower. I got dressed - I even wore a bra! and I had a cup of coffee. I even, eventually, sat down to write.

And what did I do instead? I watched TV. It was good TV, but good TV doesn't get a book finished. Then, when the scripted shows were finished, I watched the late night talk shows. And then, when those were finished I surfed. I've been surfing for an hour and a half. It is almost 2am.

Now I'm blogging. Do you see a pattern here?
There is a tiny problem though. I thought I finished the book last night.

That is, to say, I wrote the last scene of the book from my heroine's perspective. She had learned what she needed to learn (the right guy will Be There for you), she had said what she needed to say, she'd experienced true love and wasn't going to go back. She was looking at the world with new eyes, and though things weren't perfect, she knew that with her man by her side it would all be all right.

That was it. But it didn't feel finished. I didn't feel like I was satisfied with the ending. But it's not really about me, is it? It's about my H&H. So I went to bed with a vaguely uncomfortable feeling. Before I slept though, I realized the problem. My hero wanted his say as well. He wanted a chance to crow like a peacock at the wonderful love that he'd found, he wanted a chance to stand back and bask in the glow of her love. So, fine.

I sat down tonight and put pen to paper and waited for him to speak. Lil bastard clammed right up on me. I got 75 words out of him. Like it or not, he will give me another 25 words before I let go of the MS for the night. Maybe if I sweet talk him he'll give me another 250 or so....

So. Once again, it's my fault. I should have left the house and the ebil TV and even ebiller Internet behind. I need to learn that I can only hear my characters when I turn off all the other characters around me - and turn up the music.

But I really wanted to finish tonight.



Currently reading: Night Game

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