My subconscious is my greatest ally, solving problems in my writing that I often didn't even know I had, but I'm still often surprised by the way it surfaces. However, I've learned to live with the somewhat capricious impulses it conjures and even to harness them. For instance, I know that writer's block isn't a sign of rustiness or procrastination for me: it's my undermind telling that there's a plot problem, hole or weak spot that I need to resolve before I continue. So I've now learned that when I get that sense of reluctance and malaise to step back from the work and ask, "What's wrong?"
In this case, my subconscious granted me a real gift. This last episode of "Who Wants To Be A Hero?" has changed a lot since my original concept, when it was supposed to be a simple show-down between the last three contestants. The latest quirk not only enhances the drama (I hope!), it solves a problem that's been bothering me from the beginning: my main viewpoint character is (perhaps necessarily) rather passive. Now I get to put her in play with a vengeance, and it all makes sense with the development of the episode.
Not going to make the Valentine's Day deadline, but it looks like end of the month is a reasonable goal. I guess it'll be my personal birthday present to finish the darn manuscript. Wow, something about that just sounds wrong.
Word count for 2/3 - 2/9: 10,480
About Me
- Lindsey Duncan
- I'm a professional harp performer, chef / pastry chef, and speculative fiction writer from Cincinnati, Ohio. My contemporary fantasy novel Flow is available from Double Dragon Publishing, and my science fiction novel Scylla and Charybdis is now out from Grimbold Books. I've also sold a number of short stories and a few pieces of speculative poetry. I write predominantly fantasy, usually epic and/or humorous, with some soft science fiction. I play the traditional lever harp with a specialty in Celtic music - but I also perform modern and Renaissance tunes. And yes, you read that right - I have a diploma in Baking and Pastry and an Associates in Culinary Arts and am currently working in the catering field at Kate's Catering and Personal Chef Services (Dayton, KY). I am a CPC (Certified Pastry Culinarian) and CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine).
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