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A picture is worth a thousand words. Or so they say. For me, there was a pic that was worth about three thousand.

But this time it took some work.

The pic was chosen specifically. And then I stared at it. For a really long time. I had the barest snippet of a thought. I knew I had to use this pic. But for the longest time, I had no idea how I was going to turn it into a flash fic.

And then one of the characters started talking. Just one sentence. One line. In my head he said “Aren’t you tired of hiding?” And then I knew. I knew where the short story was going to go. I knew what would happen. And I started writing. It went a bit darker than I was thinking, but it ends with hope. And then it got a part two.

I love it when the muse takes over like that. When I’m not certain, exactly, what’s going to come out of my fingers. When I’m really able to just roll with what I see in my head and the scene takes shape before my eyes as words on the screen. When what I’m actually seeing translates to the page.

And next week, you can see what happens. On Friday, I’ll explain more.

I’ve talked about it a bit before but I want to do it again. The way my mind gets an idea, the way I get inspired, is something that continually surprises me.

The smallest thing can set me off. A phrase, an action, a picture. And then it’s like a scene is playing in my head. Sometimes I don’t even know much about the characters. Or the story as a whole. It’s just a scene. The story develops, or doesn’t, from there. A lot of them turn into flash fics. You may remember, back towards the beginning, the story of a man coming home to discover his roommate had decorated the whole house with mistletoe in the middle of July. Adam and Jamie were inspired by a pic of two guys kissing under the mistletoe. I saw that pic, and then my brain showed me a different scene. Of Adam coming home, the house decorated, and him being shocked because it was summer.

I always roll with what my brain shows me. Maybe it doesn’t amount to anything. Maybe it does. Sometimes it lingers, and sometimes it’s just a flash in the pan. But who am I to question what my brain sees? It’s given me some good stuff that provides both you and me with a few minutes entertainment.

Tune in Wednesday to hear about my latest inspiration.

So we all know I’m a combination plotter and pantser. I write what inspires me, I know the basic gist of the plot, I sort some stuff out, and then my characters take on a bit of a life of their own. So when an idea slams into my brain, I need to start writing it provided I can figure out the basics.

This idea came from a snippet of a scene my brother told me years and years ago. It’s always stayed with me. And last week, I remembered it out of the blue, replayed it in my mind…and then I saw what happened after.

So with his permission, I started writing it. And I got the first two chapters written with little problem. Okay, there was one problem. At about 4K I realized one of the character’s names needed to change and I had to stop for the night because I had no idea what his name was. And once I figured it out, I realized that the other guy’s name should change too. So I did that too. So now I’ve got my guys, their personalities, and the basic plot.

It wasn’t what I intended to work on next. I had this whole other idea and it was good and I was excited. But this? This just won’t leave me alone. So this is what I need to write right now.

And, at least for right now, I’m calling it Ghostwalker.

You see, sometimes there’s just too much spinning in my wee brain.

The WIP is no longer in progress. It’s done. And it’s officially in the slush. So even though I’m finished and it’s off, I have a hard time letting my boys go. Need a little time to process that I’m no longer working on that story. It’s hard for me to let them go. It’s only been a few days.

And then there are edits on Spell Break. This is a different sort of thing, a different kind of project. One that’s more for me than anything else. This one I’m doing on my own. So there’s this whole added pressure. There’s a lot of decisions to be made there: what to keep, what to toss, what to rewrite. But look for that in the coming weeks.

With one in the slush, and one that’s going to start edits soon, one that I’m doing on my own, and a new one just starting to niggle at my brain, there’s just a bit too much going on in my head.

So I need to take a step back for a few and sort it all out. Get my ducks in a row. And then I can effectively tell the stories so that you can enjoy them. I hope.

Well, not entirely new.  I’ve tried something similar in the past with a modicum of success.  But I’m giving it a more focused go this time around.

If you aren’t aware by now, my characters drive my story.  I plot, yes, but vaguely and sometimes things I think are going to happen don’t, and things I never thought of are suddenly happening.  I was having a discussion with a friend about something in my WIP and he made a suggestion that I liked.  When I told him it was a good idea because “Mark seems like the kind of guy that would enjoy that,” his immediate response made me laugh. “Seems like?  Aren’t you in charge?”  Only moderately, is the truth.  Because the characters really do what they want and I’m just along for the ride.  So other than making vague notes about what scenes are going to happen, no I don’t plot.  Besides, that’s not what this is about anyway.

I’m talking about the character profile.

In the past, I’ve used it a bit.  A little cheat sheet that has eye and hair color, weight and body type, maybe some background info on the character, some significant event in their life that has shaped them.  My efforts were weak at best, but that little bit helped.  But these new guys?  Goodness, I just see them so clearly, and they are telling me stuff about themselves and I haven’t even gotten to the vague plotting stage yet.  So I need somewhere to put it and that, right there, is why I’m going to try to actually write out, beforehand, the character profile of my guys.  And hopefully that will guide me when my characters get into these situations they get themselves into because then I will know how they would react.  And I will be able to spot the inconsistencies a lot quicker.

That’s my hope anyway.  So I’m going to give it a try, see how it works.  If it’s good, I’ll keep doing it.  If it’s bad?  Well it’s only a bit of wasted time, and I don’t have to do it again.  I’m always trying to learn and grow as an author, and to find what works best for me.  Maybe the character profile is something that will help.  I’m willing to try.

Okay, there’s really no battle at all, but I liked the alliteration.

I’m really fortunate to have a handful of people that read my stuff in the early stages and help me improve it.  They point out plot holes I missed, tell me where there needs to be more “show” and less “tell” and point out weird phrasing or sentences that don’t make sense.  I appreciate it so much, and they do it with only helping me in mind.  I’m lucky, and I know it.

But the hard thing for me is that they all bring different experiences and tastes to the table, so they all see different things.  One scene that one beta might love, another has issues with.  One might point out a plot point as being unrealistic, while the others totally understood what was going on and didn’t have an issue with it.  It’s great that they all see different things, because that way I can make the story as clear as possible, but I sometimes have the problem of trying to figure out exactly what needs to be fixed, edited, and changed and what I need to leave just as it is because I’m the author and it’s ultimately my choice.

In the beginning, I tried to make everyone happy.  I took everyone’s words to heart, and sometimes it hurt, but I tried to rewrite it in a way that would please everyone.  Suffice it to say, that didn’t work.  At all.  But I’ve gotten better at really listening to what they say, and then being able to discern if it’s a problem that needs fixing or if it’s just a personal choice that the beta has and what they would like to see.

I’m really lucky too, that my betas aren’t stingy with the praise.  If there’s something that they like, they let me know.  They tell me that a particular scene worked really well, or that they loved a certain detail, or that something made them laugh or gave them feels.  That makes me feel like I’m on the right track, even if parts need work, and that I can make a story worth the telling.

I do my damnedest to write a story that people will enjoy.  Not everybody is going to like it, not even the handful of people who get to read it early and adore me and want to help me.  And that’s okay.  Because I know that there is going to be people who like it, maybe even love it, and will be happy they spent a few hours with my guys.

My betas help me get there.  And that’s all I can ask for.

Confidence is a fickle thing.

Working on the last round of edits on my current WIP, tentatively titled Beck And Call, before I submit it for consideration, and I’m flush with confidence.  A little change here, a tweak there, change the way a sentence is worded to avoid passive voice, is that “little” really necessary there, read through yet again…I got this, it’s good, I can do this.  I got confidence.

Editing Spell Break on the other hand?  Well, that’s a whole different beast.  Trying to fix THAT while keeping things largely unchanged is a challenge the likes of which I never expected.  So far, it’s mostly rewriting scenes to read better, so the the content itself is unchanged, but it’s really a crap load of rewriting.  There is one new scene I’m planning, but haven’t gotten to yet.  And here’s where the confidence starts to shake again.  Because I’ve got everything I need already, but being able to rewrite it in a better way is harder than I ever anticipated.

But I repeat my mantra…I got this…and push through anyway.

It’ll probably take a bit longer to get Spell Break, and it’s sequel, out there than I originally thought.  It’s a real test of my abilities.

I’ve got confidence, I just need to apply it elsewhere. And remind myself that I got this. The more I do, the better it gets. And that’s going to help me stay in solid ground better than anything else.

I know for a solid fact that I’m not the only one with shaky confidence out there (though sometimes it’s hard to remember that fact).  I’ve seen plenty of authors–well established, resoundingly successful authors–who really freak out over WIPs or new releases, just certain that no one is going to like it.  Because of my own personality, though, sometimes, yeah, it’s super shaky, or non existent, and I just crumble a bit in on myself because I just know that there’s no way I can do this.

Except I have.  And I can.

I’m not going to write the next big literary masterpiece.  I’m not going to write some sweeping epic of self discovery, where my character experiences massive and profound growth on his journey.  I don’t think I have that in me.  I’m perfectly fine with that.  Because all I want is to write a story that entertains for a few hours, maybe gives the reader a bit of feels, is a coherent story with characters that grow and change and become better, but not necessarily in an epic way.  I’m perfectly fine with that, these are the stories I have in me, the stories that need to get out.

But telling that entertaining story?  Sometimes, and sometimes a lot, I have very little confidence in myself that I can do that.  Only…I got this.  My new mantra.  I got this.  And even when I don’t feel like I do, even when that confidence is shaky beyond belief and I’m seconds away from throwing up my hands in defeat, I remember the mantra, I repeat it to myself, and I’m able to take a step back, take a deep breath, and write.

I’m doing what I can to improve.  I’m learning everyday how to be a better writer.  I’m listening to my betas about what works and what doesn’t, and editing to make it better.  So when that final project is out there for public consumption, it’s a good story that will entertain.  Not everyone will like it (because that’s impossible) but those that do will appreciate the work that went into it.

I just have to remember that I got this.

For me, the title is an important thing.  I think a lot of people will agree.  I want the title to make sense.  I want to understand why an author chose a certain title for the work.  I want it to resonate with the story.

That doesn’t always work.  I can think of a few (which I won’t name) where I thought the author was grasping at straws.  I can think of a few more (also won’t name) that didn’t make sense to me at all once I read the book.  So I’m conscious of my title choices.  And maybe there are readers out there who don’t agree with my choices either, just like I don’t agree with other author’s, but at least for me, it works.

Most of the time, titles come to me while writing the work.  Some particular line or scenario sticks out and I realize that’s what the title should be.  It was like that with Worth It and Hero Worship.  Sometimes, titles need a little assist, like Pumpkin Rolls and Porn Sounds which was suggested to me by a friend and fit perfectly for the story (that’s slated for release in about six months, details when I have them).  Everything else I’ve written, I’ve been able to figure out the title by the time the story was finished getting on the page.

Not so much with the new one.  The first draft is complete, I’m working on making it better now, the title eludes me.  A couple of people have read it, and a couple more will read it soon, but those that have can’t suggest anything either.  I’m in a quandary, and it’s irritating.  I feel like it’s there, somewhere, and I just can’t see it.

I hoping another pass through, more editing, and I’ll be able to see it’s name.  Because the title is important.

Do titles draw you in?  Do they make you take notice, take a second look?  Am I alone in thinking that a good title is important to a book?

Yeah. That’s me. I’ve earned the title.

Part if it is just style, and I’m working on making that better. Part of it is wanting to get the information about what happens during time lapses on the page. And part of it? Well part of it is writing longer works and needing the info there so the readers know what the hell is going on.

It’s a work in progress. There’s no doubt about that. There were times that I didn’t even realize that’s what I was doing. But now that I’m really and truly aware that it’s a problem I have, I know I can fix it. I’ve gotten some great tools and suggestions in the last few days that can help me tackle the issue and correct it.

It’s harder to go back and fix it in stuff that’s already on the page. But I’m working on it. It’s easier to write something new when I have that thought clearly in my head. This weekend I started something new, made a conscious effort, and even I can tell it’s better. Not quite there yet, but getting there.

I want to tell the best story I can, so I’m trying to improve with every word that goes on the page.