Often times in the middle of the night, my mind runs wild. And when an idea pops up for a story, I let it fester and stew and if the idea lasts and has a story behind it, it gets recorded in the morning. Sometimes it’s just a storyline, one or two sentences to keep the idea alive. Sometimes it’s a couple of paragraphs or more. Everyone once in a while, the entire story falls out and I spend a few hours recording plots, subplots, characters, locations, emotions, and the emotion or idea I am trying to convey.
I’m not the kind of person to get up in the wee hours to jot down notes, and yes, there have been ideas that were forgotten after falling back to sleep. But just as often, the kernel of an idea stays with me for a few nights, even if I’m in the middle of a piece. And over the course of a few nights, I cultivate the idea and then write it down.
I try to keep my thoughts during the early morning hours focused on the current work in progress, but it doesn’t always work. And sometimes, that kernel of an idea grows and sprouts, and a full plot forms. Every once in a while, I end up with a complete, chapter by chapter outline and detailed character list. All that needs to be done then is to write the story.
So, why not list some of the ideas that are festering and simmering. If you see an idea you like, feel free to hit me up. I welcome questions, suggestions, and input.
Click to read the story title below to see the current status of my work in process. Some will have complete synopsis, while others may have the plot or a single idea even.
Stories in Rough Draft
The Cat Who Saved Rehoboth started as a short story written for the Beach Mysteries anthology competition but I could not get the story down to 3,500 words. I stopped trying at 5,500 words when I started cutting important plot lines. I submitted another story to the competition and put back all the good stuff I had deleted.
When completed, my beta reader took a look at the story, liked it but suggested it shouldn’t be a one-off. She said it sounded like part of a much bigger story.
What a great idea. Turned out, because of how that first story ended, I needed to back up and tell the beginning of the story. That is what I am working on now. So far, in what hopes to be a book of seven or eight stories along the same theme, I have four written:
Dumpster Ballots – rough draft, 17,500 words
Seawitch – rough draft, 17,250 words
Tree Lighting – rough draft, 27, 500 words
Jazz Fest – storyline only, 0 words
Art Festival – title only, 0 words
Greyhound Weekend – title only, 0 words
Fireworks on the Fourth – final draft, 22,250 words.
My goal is to write one more story and then start the editing process. As soon as my other major goals are completed this is number 3 or 4. It would be nice to finish in time for the 2023 beach reading season.
I can do this!
Bobby’s story was my first attempt at writing. We owned an art gallery from 2004 to 2011 and because of crazy circumstances, I worked the gallery from Friday to Sunday. We’d stay open as long as there were people in town, and many an evening, I’d be sitting waiting for a customer.
The setup was not conducive to painting, as you might think it would be. So I began writing a story based on the gallery and an odd idea I had (one that now embarrasses me). It took me over two years to write the first draft which ended up with over 300,000 words. I laugh now, you should too. I worked on that novel for hours and hours and cut it down to 2 books of 120,000 words each.
I was so proud and asked a couple of friends to read it. A couple agreed but neither ever responded. I’m sure it was dribble. But it was a start. I thoroughly enjoyed the process and it started me off on this journey. So thanks to Bobby for sticking with me for all those years.
I’ve often thought Bobby’s Story might deserve a complete R&R, but I might cringe too many times reading what was there. Still, if you are interested, let me know…..
Copy coming soon.
Copy coming soon.
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Copy Coming Soon.
Story Plots and Ideas
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