Since my devouring of Bird by Bird, I’ve been trying to write in a different way. Listening to my broccoli and looking through the one-inch frame and the like. And let me tell you, it works, but it’s HARD. It requires a lot of extra credit work that likely won’t ever see the light of day, and that’s something I’m not used to

When I left off with my WIP, I was at a scene where I introduced a new character, a very swoony guy who may or may not end up the love interest (I’d at least left him some room to figure that out later). But the scene was hard to write. Like, hard. Before I read Bird by Bird, I didn’t understand why. But now I realize it’s because I’ve got this guy, and I have no idea what he’s trying to say, or what he’s feeling, or what he wants. I can’t seem to crack him. The more I tried to shove words in his mouth, the more he just gave me the finger and turned around. It was infuriating, because I AM IN CHARGE HERE, BUDDY, AND YOU WILL DO AS I SAY! But he was all, “Screw you, author lady. You’re not the boss of me.”

Last night I finally gave in and spent a lot of time last night laying in the dark trying to make him talk to me, but no dice.

So now I’m doing something I’ve never done before. I’m going to treat him like he’s my main character. I’m going to write a bunch of scenes of him that won’t end up in the book, but that will ultimately introduce him to me and make him talk to me dammit!!!!!!

It feels like a bit of a revelation, letting my characters do the driving for a bit. In life and in writing, I like to drive. I’m the one in control, and when I have to sit in the passenger seat, I’m usually a little jittery (and I get carsick, to be honest with you). But this is what needs to happen, and the book will be better for it. I’ll let you know how it goes.