The NaNoWriMo Experience continues.
When I write my books, there are always sections that I build up in my mind. That does two things; it ups that stakes and challenges me to do better on them, and it also makes it harder for me to write. There are certain chapters in any book that are like that. In this book that I am writing, Infinity’s Reach, my post-apocalyptic story of Pilgrim’s Progress, the hurdle this time is St. Louis. I already know that it is a milestone for the characters, that it signifies crossing the Mississippi River and separation for two of the characters that are romantically involved. I also know that it is a hurdle that they won’t get over, that something happens there which sets them back in their quest. And I also know that I want it to be “spectacle.”
I get the word “spectacle” from The Art & Craft of Playwriting by Jeffrey Hatcher, the book on stageplay writing that we used for my Drama Writing class. From the perspective of Hatcher, every play should include “spectacle” as part of their formula. That means providing something that they wouldn’t ordinarily see. It could be a giant explosion, an intimate moment, a dazzling lightshow or display. But the intent is to leave something memorable in their mind.
That’s what I want for these two chapters. There is potential for this here, and I don’t want to miss it. Spectacle often comes at the end of stories, but sometimes at critical moments in the middle as well.
That’s what I am faced with. It’s daunting, but doable. Yesterday I only got 350 words written, but today I added another 2300 words. I’m at 31,000 words out of 50,000. So we’re getting there.
Talk to you soon.
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The Great Adventure 