It’s been a busy week. The snow has finally gone. It rained heavily on Friday and cleared most of it away. I’ve spent my writing time this week, on my journey to/from work and at lunch, working on my A Day in the Life series, and Heart of Darkness. I’m really enjoying getting the notes together for Heart of Darkness.
The story is predominantly the hero’s, and I do like writing that type of stories. I like writing the sort where the heroine is the central focus, and the story is primarily about her, but there’s something refreshing about writing something in which the hero has more at stake. Seventh Circle was the hero’s story, as was Killing Game, and a few others that I’ve written. It’s nice to have a change and I think it will be different to write Heart of Darkness. The hero has a lot at stake, his life actually, and it will be the heroine who will save him. I love that sort of twist too. Where the heroine is the one having to do the real saving. Sure, the hero will get her out of some scrapes and things, but she’s the one who will in the end save him from some terrible fate.
I’ve been getting all my written-on-paper notes together for Heart of Darkness, and writing up the plot outline on my shiny new netbook. It’s rather handy to have. It’s so much lighter to carry around than my laptop, even though my laptop is quite small and light, and the battery lasts forever, so I can type as much as I like without a problem. I was writing out my plot outline into a word document, and realised I could add in my random bits of notes straight into the outline, and other character stuff that I had written down. It’s so nice to be able to compile it all into one linear outline. Normally I have my scribbled down outline, and then number all my scene notes that are written on paper, and when I write the story with the outline and notes, I have to keep hopping between the outline and the numbered note it’s referring to. Now, I have my outline in a word doc (yay) and have added in the small notes and stuff to it, and will still have the numbered scene notes, because it’s a waste of time to write ALL of them up as there’s probably almost fifty A5 pages of them. But, with my next story, I’ll be able to just write all those scene notes on my netbook/laptop and then work them into the plot outline… so not more switching between the outline and the scene notes. Double yay. Of course, I’ll have to print it out to work from because I don’t like to have to switch windows on my computer. I prefer to just look at the notes beside me and touch-type the story on the computer.
Reading that back, it seems like a very sad thing to be so excited about.
I’m hoping to get everything finished for Heart of Darkness soon. I keep thinking I’m close but then I remember things like I have to check over my character sketches/bio for information to work into the story, and draw out the layouts of the places we visit more than once, and write out the decor for them. Yes, I do like to get so in depth. Continuity is important and it’s easier done when you have a layout of the building/rooms, and notes about what furniture they have, colours of fabrics, walls, etc.
I’ve also finished with the synopses for Love Immortal. I read the one page synopsis and three page synopsis out loud yesterday to make sure they’re perfect, and read the five page synopsis this morning. I’ve added in any changes to the word documents now and the only thing left to do is give them a proof. I’m really glad that they turned out so good without me having to write thirty drafts and versions to try and get one that really worked.
I’d better go. I was up until almost 2am last night partying with my family for my neice’s (2) birthday and I’m still over my folks’ house. Got to drag the husband out of bed and get home. I woke up early so I could get my five page synopsis read and some work done before going home… and possibly playing PlayStation. Well, I can’t be all work and no play!
