Writing limbo

I'm in limbo and I'm not coping with it very well.

My bits on the final draft of Farewell Trip are done and Gary's are on the way. Even if he identifies a few more tweaks, they're likely to be fiddling with what's already there, rather than new additions. So I'm between projects.

We've done some initial thinking about the new book – got the glimmer of a plot and a couple of interesting characters. I'm especially excited about the alcoholic solicitor who is friends with my main character. She drinks scotch and I think she may have an eye patch. Gary is hoping to get a car chase in somewhere. Since his character drives a Smart car that will be fun.

However, two engaging main characters do not a novel make. We ain't getting nowhere without a story and, frankly, we're in a bit of a pickle with this. We need a proper plot before any actual writing can be done. We've learned from Ruth and Trip that it helps to be clear about where the story is headed before we start generating words. Having an end point to aim for is particularly important to save us drifting in and out of different storylines, then having to go back to straighten things out. Two of us writing gives double the potential for inventive leaps in plotting, but the flip side of that is there's twice the probability we'll end up in a story cul-de-sac. It'll be the more complicated this time around since we won't have the structure of letters, narrative and camera's-eye view that Farewell Trip does.

So, I am left cogitating and contemplating; coming up with bits of back story, trying to fix my detective in my mind. Who is she? How does she react to the world around her? What colour underwear does she choose? (White, if you're interested. She also uses Blue Loo in her toilet, likes sausages and breeds rats.)

This is fun and makes for stimulating journeys to work and back. But it doesn't take the place of writing, actually sitting down to bash words onto the page. I have whole evenings to fill and plotlines, character development and back story just don't cut it.

This weekend I've been desperate enough to go back to an old story. It's very much lowest common denominator romance, but I like the people in it, so I'm tightening it up and will send it to some e-publishers once it's done. It's filling the gap. Sort of.