For "Takeover," I am purposely letting the characters dictate the plot. Usually what happens about now is that I have an idea of where the book is going and write accordingly. I'm trying hard not to do that. I'm trying to make each chapter a surprise. If it doesn't click with me strongly, I'm not writing it.

In a way, it's waiting for "inspiration" which everyone tells you not to do, but I think I can afford to take a chance since I'm really on a roll, you know.

I spent the whole day yesterday waiting for inspiration. By the time I went for my twilight walk, I'd given up, figured that nothing was going to come that day.

I was halfway through my walk when a character popped his head up and said, "My turn."

So that will have to happen each time. I'm not going to write anything that doesn't feel strong.

The feeling I'm attempting is authentic, real. No fictional glow, but something that feels like it could have happened, that these are real people narrating the story. I'm about 14,000 words in, so the question is, can I keep this going all the way and will it turn into a plot of some kind? I've got some foreshadowing going, so I'm hoping.

No compromises on this one. (Compromises with myself, by the way. Most of what other people mention is valid, but more often than not I get it in my head that even though I really like something, others won't, and that changes what I do. Not this time. If I like it, I'm doing it.)

There's the, "I don't understand that reference," or "That transition is confusing," or...all kinds of things that are clear to me and I think should be clear to the reader but aren't. So I've always thought the point was to be clear, but in doing so, I always feel like I've lost a little edge, a little bit of a challenge, this time, screw that. I'm putting it in if I think it's valid.

It's maybe a bit more "literary" this time. Terrible word, that I normally shy away from. Nothing will keep me from reading a book more than labeling it "literary." But I'm not doing anything that smacks of "pot-boiler" fiction. Nothing fantastical (not that there is anything wrong with that) and nothing melodramatic.

As I've said before, all my books turn into Duncan McGeary books in the end; they all end up with similar style, even when I try to do something new. My guess is, trying to be literary is all fine and good, but maybe all that will happen is that I make my book just a little harder to read for most, but something a few people will appreciate. Heh.