Writing snippets.

Drove out to the Badlands again, and parked at a trailhead. Don't know why this frees me up to write, but it does.

I've been writing snippets of description and conversation, without any clear idea of where it will fit into the story. For some strange reason, these Bend stories (that's how I'm thinking about them, the 'Bend stories') are involving social issues.

I'M ONLY HUMAN is talking about animal rights. GARGOYLE IN LOVE, which is about an alien invasion, seems to involve climate change.

It fun to use the same characters as the first book because I feel like I know them, instead of making them up. I get great utility out of being able to go to the actual settings (so far, the high desert, and Bend) to get descriptions.

The plotting conundrum for me, is that I discover the plot by writing and that may not be the most efficient way to do that. But I'm not sure I can do it any other way. As I've said, I usually get about 50 pages in, and then either get blocked, or push my way through. Once I push my way through the block, I usually have a glimmer of the rest of the plot.

Once I get there, the surprises in each chapter are enough to keep me writing.

I've always heard the advice to quickly get started on the next book so that any negativity from the first book won't stop you from continuing. Which is a good idea, I think.