The writing doldrums are upon me.  When I sit to work on my project, Kiliane’s Rage, I end up checking email and my social media accounts. I haven’t looked at my project in two weeks.

The other day, I learned I am not the only one who experiences this problem. One of my favorite bloggers wrote of experiencing a similar problem. Read it at Elizabeth Drake’s Site and enjoy her other articles.

I can blame the doldrums on one of the several things. Work has been long days. The long days compensate for hours I missed. Medical appointments, procedure, and other time-off had to be made up or use vacation time. I could take leave-without-pay, not a preference. Using vacation time is not preferable either. Vacation time is for vacation.

Ah, vacation time. We leave for Texas Thursday. I *saved* enough vacation time to allow us to stay gone until 3 August.

Last Friday, we signed for our Class C recreational vehicle (RV). It is a Le series Sunseeker 2850SLE with the amenities of home and a slide out on one side. The “queen size” bed is smaller than queen size. Over the driver’s compartment is a platform the same size as the bed. Stove, refrigerator-freezer, water, air conditioning, toilet, shower, and beaucoup storage. As my youngest grandson called it after receiving the grand tour, “Grandma’s house on wheels.”

When we were taking my F-150, two grandchildren wanted to go–both girls. Now my grandson decided he wants to go. We have other grandchildren who for various reasons can’t go.

Anyone not familiar with setting up an RV, let me say it’s an experience. Aside from the amenities I mentioned, it was empty. That didn’t last long though.

We bought chemicals for the waste tanks, hoses to drain them, and a surge suppressor at an RV parts store. We bought pots, pans and assorted items at Walmart. This was worse than when we set up a house after getting married. Then people contributed, now I pay for it.

The reason for my writing doldrums is not medical procedures or long work days. It is the anticipation and preparations for vacation. Of time on the road. *I enjoy driving and what sightseeing it provides.* Thoughts and preparations for vacation pushed writing to the background.  The doldrums are receding as preparations near completion.  Here I am getting a post together! That qualifies as writing in my humble opinion. And I am packing my computer for moments when the muse rears her head while in Texas.

This is my experience with the doldrums. Don’t forget to check out Elizabeth’s great article and spend time with her.  Have the doldrums affected you? Are you feeling the call of vacation? I enjoy hearing from you on these or other topics. Comment, please.

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The antagonist in Kiliane’s Rage, my work-in-progress, created an interesting problem for me. He is an egotistical individual with aspirations to greatness. The problem is how to introduce his backstory which is important to understanding his aspirations.

I considered writing his early story in a prologue. But I have read several craft writers who recommend against a prologue. They have varied reasons but the one I note most is that the prologue could be woven into the story proper. This seems valid but the pacing of a story might not allow for a timeout to do backstory. The places where the antagonist appears in the Kiliane’s Rage are forward moving appearances. His desire to relive prior experiences taunts me to slow the pace just to suit him. They would bring the storyline to a timeout. I did not include timeouts in the outline.

Another option I am exploring is to present the antagonist first and protagonist later. A delay in bringing the protagonist allows the antagonist the opportunity to establish his space in the story. The present story has the protagonist introduced in the first scene. The antagonist also makes an appearance in this scene but is seen through the protagonist’s eyes. Once story rolls, he has a problem finding a good time to tell me why he is not totally evil.

Writing this post has introduced a prospect that I had not explored. I mapped a story where the protagonist solves the plot problem and the antagonist is vanquished. The story is told from the protagonist’s point-of-view. Telling Kiliane’s Rage from the antagonist’s POV may have merits. He has the opportunity to show why he is destroying the world and create concern he will not be stopped. Is it mandated he be stopped? Maybe the world he lives in deserves to be destroyed.

Have you had a WIP where you changed the POV from protagonist to antagonist or other way? I would enjoy hearing your thoughts on the value of prologues. Use the follow to be informed of new posts. Comments also welcomed.

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I finished NaNoWriMo with a total 50,248 words in 28 days. It has been an interesting experience from which I learned much. My goal when I signed up was a 50k word novel or near-novel by the end of the month. It was great relief to meet my goal with two days to spare.

Kiliane’s Rage

I think the push to jump in the briar patch came from reading K.M. Weiland’s How to Outline for NaNoWriMo series of posts.  They led me to find out more about the challenge. Intrigued, I sought a topic. There is an artifact in my first draft novel  that a family reader said needed some backstory to explain its existence. Why not make that the foundation for a NaNoWriMo novel? I signed up and announced Kiliane’s Rage.
It would be the first volume in a two volume set if it was finished and turned out good.

What Outline?

I wrote Saving Delisanna without outlining it.  I did not want to write this one by the seat of my pants. *I had worn holes in them writing Saving Delisanna.* Since I decided late, I had five days to create an outline for a 50,000 word fantasy novel.  I developed a basic outline of three acts and significant plot points using Susan Bischoff’s The Story Toolkit Worksheets thoughtful questions.

Let’s Write

1 November started the journey using an outline lacking in one, I would soon learn, vital area — a detailed scene list. The first 12,000 words came quickly. I was ahead of schedule. I was also ahead of where my outline told me I should be for this word count.  The first act was complete minus details such as beats associated with dialogue or physical description of characters and locations. I gave myself something for the rewrite and edit.

Are we done yet? 

The story sped along as I wrote the next 10,000 words. The acts were in the rear view mirror and the pinch points a distant memory. I was screaming along ahead of schedule, barely. Day 17 at 28,928 words, I finished three acts, pinch points, climax and the denouement I envisioned for the novel. Alas, I had over 21,000 more words to write in the remaining 13 days and no scenes to write. I knew I could go back and fill in descriptive details but that would be tedious at this point.

More to write

Dropping a copy to print, I read what was written. There were scenes I could write to make the story flow more smoothly. They became fodder for the word processor as I used up 7 days and  12,605 words filling some of the voids. *I know I will find others when I edit.*

There were still almost 8,500 words to write in 6 days and Thanksgiving was one of those days. I thought I could finish before Thanksgiving but helping coach an out-of-state boys soccer tournament dropped my progress to 1400 words the weekend before. I had written something everyday in November and didn’t let family visiting from Illinois or smoking a holiday turkey prevent me from writing every day. Monday, 28 November 2016, I completed the challenge with 50, 248 words.

Did you learn anything?

Things I learned. I can write, in my opinion, a draft from a bare outline. I must train myself to include details into the story as I write. *I have to overcome tendencies developed the last 50 years writing terse, to the point communications for the military and federal government.* I must learn to outline though I can tell a decent story without one. No one, including me, wants a decent story. I owe me and you great stories! If I take the challenge next year I will be better prepared. In the meantime, anything else I attempt will start with a good outline including scene list.

Did you participate in NaNoWriMo this year? Use the comment form to tell me about how your challenge went this year? Get notifications when I post using the follow button on the bottom right.

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