I’m writing a story unlike any I’ve written before. It’s sort of YA dystopian. I didn’t ask for this story, I dreamed it. Actually, it was too intense to call a dream, so let’s call it a nightmare—the kind you force yourself to wake from because you’re too afraid to see the end.
Is it that intense on paper? No. At least, not yet. This has been my first attempt at writing without any preliminary writing—no crucial scenes pre-written, no dialogue already recorded. I don’t like writing first drafts. I know in my head where the story is going, but since I haven’t written the climactic scene, it’s driving me nuts not knowing if it’s going to turn out well. Yet, I keep plugging away.
This story has already gone through major changes. I’ve altered the original ending, which I sensed, but didn’t actually see, in my dream. I made that decision because I realized early that this was not a story about a girl; this was a girl’s story. I needed to tell it all from her point of view.
I’m eons way from my teen years. It’s not easy for me to get deep into the mindset of a 15 year-old girl. I have teen-aged granddaughters, so I’m not totally out of that world, but still …
So, yeah. That’s what I’m working on. I’m trying to ignore that inner critic asking me what makes me think I can write this story … or pointing out how much time I’ll have wasted when it fails. Someday I’m going to make her the victim in a violent tale.
Your turn: What sort of challenges do you set for yourself?
Linda Cassidy Lewis 
My curiosity is piqued.
I’ve written a couple shorts from the same nightmare, and each one goes in different directions. Only a friend has read both versions.
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Well, fivecats, this is the only time I’ve tried writing out this nightmare, but it’s changed twice already, and today it occurred to me I could take it in yet another direction. Hmmm, I hate making decisions.
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Good luck with this one. It sounds cool and the teens will love it! It is fun to go back to the teen years again too. (Some say I never left it) Keep writing -and dreaming.
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Well, I wasn’t really thinking of teens as my target readers, Darlene. I started this one as an addition to the stories I’m writing for a collection, but who knows where it’s going now.
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Oh, I’m so glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t like writing first drafts. I actually don’t enjoy it at all, so it makes me wonder why I keep doing it, hehe. Your book sounds deliciously dark! I’m getting closer to your book on my to-read list. I’m so behind it’s pathetic. 😦
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Yeah, Michelle, first drafts are the grunt work. We could be like James Patterson and hire other writers to do that job. Nah!
“Deliciously dark” — I love the sound of that. Unfortunately, I’ve started questioning an element of my story that no longer makes sense, so it’s certainly not delicious to me at the moment.
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