I’m still on my hiatus from drafting new material. The Muse sent me a bunch of future material and that’s been going great. I have two decent storyboards for stand alone tales. I also have three for stories about Lizzie and the hat.
The concluding story of Lanternfish still needs some work. Dealing with con men is harder that you might think. It requires a kind of mind game with the readers as well as the characters in the story.
I’m not sweating this yet and if I don’t start drafting something before December, I can live with that.
What is coming harder is any kind of comedy. I have faith in myself, but that will only get me so far. A lot of it comes to me as I write, but I usually have some antics in mind long before I start. Right now, I’ve got nothing.
This involves the relationship between Lizzie and the hat, but also the root monsters. As a buddy story, Lizzie and the hat will be easier to deal with. I have three reasonable plots and if I started writing today, they would be fine.
People love the root monsters from Lanternfish, and they need to shine as the trilogy comes to an end. I really hope I haven’t revealed all their tricks yet. I have a neat denouement in store for them, but that only helps at the end. They need purpose and humor as the tale unwinds.
One thing I’m toying with is to give them a tiny character arc. Instead of being told what to do, maybe they can start grasping what is happening and make some choices on their own. I’m not married to this idea, and as comedy relief, it kind of goes against all the rules.
What I really need are some root monster vignettes that sometimes come to me in dreams. Then I can sort through those and decide what could work in the story. I’m on the verge of reading HMS Lanternfish from start to finish as part of my editing process. That could spark some things, and you can bet I’ll have a notes app handy.
I’m 80% of the way through the book I’ve been reading, and that will signal time for editing. I might even do my traditional word searches in the evenings while Old What’s Her Face is watching television. I find that not focusing makes that go better. I miss common spelling errors when I get wrapped up in the story.
I sound like I have a plan, but I really don’t. I just know that I want Lanternfish out this summer, before it gets swallowed up with promotion for my Halloween oriented tale.
I hope everyone out there is being safe, and getting to enjoy some of the things you like.
Good luck. I know you’ll get everything straight in your head. And it will all come to fruition in the timeframe you set for yourself.
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Hope so. I need to get moving on Lanternfish.
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Comic relief can make it hard to do a story arc. One expects such characters to be serious and shed their antics. Yet, I think it’s possible because they can be silly and effective. The Minions might be a good example since they started purely as comic relief and now they have that alongside a group personality. That being said, I think it will be difficult to do a true story arc for them within the finale of the series. It really depends on what you’re planning. Maybe even where you want them to end up at the very end.
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I agree. They should probably remain as the comic relief and let others carry the serious weight.
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I love the root monsters…just one of their many fans. I’m sure whatever you come up with for them will be awesome. It’d great when the muse speaks to you. Mine is starting to whisper and I count that as a good sign. Happy writing!
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I have so many ideas, but nothing on the immediate front. I need to settle those issues before I jump on something completely new.
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Reblogged this on Where Genres Collide Traci Kenworth YA Author & Book Blogger for all Genres as well as craft books and commented:
I’m excited to begin a new journey with my longtime cp again. Life kinda tossed us around. It’s going to be good to hold each other accountable again.
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All the best as you move forward.
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Thanks, Craig!
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Hope you are keeping safe as well, Craig.
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Doing everything we can. Thanks.
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You’ve got this!
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Hope so. At this point, there are a lot of characters who deserve some page time.
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I adore the root monsters! As well as lots of your other characters, lols. I’m sure you’ll come up with something solid soon. You’re allowed some waffle/thinking time. Best of luck. Craig 🙂
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I hope I can come up with a few things. Unfortunately, a lot of this comes to me as I’m writing it. I may have to just dive in.
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Add me to the root monster fan list. I think things will fall into place for you, Craig. Maybe your brain just needs some diversions for a while.
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I’m sure of that. I have a few months before I need to set sail once more. I would like this one out this summer, and think I can make it.
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I’m a fan of the entire Lanternfish crew, the root monsters included. And I can see how they could have a character arc where they grow and get the whole picture more and are still humorous. Glad you’re taking the time to flesh everything out. Whenever I get impatient and start a book before the pieces are in place, it bites me in the fanny. The ideas will come. I have lots of faith in your imagination!
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There are multiple characters that need to be involved, and have a denouement. I have to avoid too many chapters of wrap up for the key players. James’s and Serang’s story almost write themselves. It’s the other bits that are worrying me.
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You’ll get them. They’ll come to you.
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If you want the root monsters to shine in the end, you have to lead up to that. So I think I’d try to work with the idea of them acting more independently, even in their first chapters of this volume.
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It’s food for thought. Lots to consider here.
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I’ve just finished The Hat, and without spoiling anything (reviews coming soon), I’m damn hoping for more Lizzie and Hat soon! 🤗
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Thank you so much. The second book is already out there, and the third one is coming this fall. Makes my day that you enjoyed it.
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Is that Viral Blues?? I’m going to pop over to Amazon and take a look 🙂
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Yes. Hope it appeals to you. I had a lot of fun with it.
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I’m off to grab it now 🙂
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Have fun. I have the third cover in the process right now.
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Your enjoyment writing these really shows in the writing.
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Hope I can keep it going. My group has been pressuring me to do a series. I have a lot more ideas planned.
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Sometimes it’s hard having so many ideas and so little time to actually write them. I’m sitting on 12 books at the moment (2 and 3 of current series, 3 in a fantasy series, 6 in historical fantasy series, and 1 of short stories).
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It happens. I have several that don’t fit into a series, too.
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Thanks for sharing.
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