"Keep it Real."

I think I need to back off a little from yesterday's post. All the "good" book talk. I'm setting myself up for failure, for writer's block, for disappointment.

I'm going with the plot, which means taking each plot development and writing a chapter, whether it is inspired or not. It just has to be done.

I've been sort of drifting for several days now, waiting for inspiration, and it doesn't seem to be happening. Or, rather, the inspiration is in other directions which are just more set up, more neutral, not advancing the story.

So it's time to switch to normal writing mode. I think it will be fine, and it will be done, which is the most important. I don't think it's possible to write an entire book inspired, nor that it would necessarily be better.

I told Linda about my two tracks, realistic and grounded all the way through, or going into heightened thriller plot oriented, and she definitely came down on the side of the latter. In truth, it was 80/20 where I was leaning, too.

But most of all, there are things that need to be written, and I just need to do it. Whether it's a "good" book in the end remains to be seen. But first it has to be written, and there is no realistic way I'm going to diverge from the plot that I've come up with. It feel very solid to me, this plot, no plot holes so far, which almost always seems to happen with me, and then I have to paper them over. I like the plot and the theme and the general thrust, and I'm still going to try to be realistic in approach. In fact, I've written a little note over my desk.

"Keep it Real."

I have about five chapters fleshed out in my head, another five chapters more loosely diagrammed, and then another ten chapters with general outline, and the last third of the book denoted. "Action: chickens come home to roost." Heh.

Just need to get on it.