Well I’d be fibbing if I was to say it was all going swimmingly. And, in a sense this is more prevarication. So I’ll keep it short.
This week two things have been troubling me:
Firstly, the story I’m working on is set in a semi-fictional part of South Africa, which I know fairly well, and it’s sort of present day, but there’s something which doesn’t feel right. I’m not yet sure what it is.
Secondly, I’m having trouble with a couple of characters. I can’t quite work them out. I’m still waiting for them to speak to me. I’m sure they will. I need more conversations!
I just checked back to this time last year. I was doing better word-count wise, but I can see there were doubts in my mind.
Oh and my laptop is on a go-slow. Must be the heat: mid afternoon, 34C in the shade.
Okay, I’m telling myself it’s going to be fine, fine, fine. Just go with the flow and enjoy it! It’s not that anyone but me is piling on the pressure.
Going back to the writing ‘happy place’ for a couple of hours…
Onward and upward, fellow Nano writers!
(as I said this time last year).
To which this year I add:
Relax. Enjoy.
luna's on line 
Wow I had to go on Google to find out what 34 degrees C would be in Fahrenheit! 93 in the shade! I keep forgetting it’s summer over there! 😀
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It is pretty warm, but I don’t mind – I’m a hothouse flower 😉
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34C is pretty warm, but I wouldn’t mind. Not too much anyway. I think. Here it is wet, rainy, dark, windy, somewhere between 2 to 9C lately, was freezing a couple of nights ago. And I live in the SOUTH of Sweden! Have heard it has been snowing further north. Boooohhoo Longing for summer!!!!!
My story is going its own way. Don’t know where I get it from, must bee channeling someone else. But am also grateful I have allowed myself to count in everything I write. Otherwise I would have gone … well … not this far.
I could use a conversation or two with some of my characters. They are hiding. But that day will come. Sooner or later.
Enjoy your Happy Place!
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Short days and long nights, cold and damp, ice and snow – some of the main reasons I left the UK… and Sweden’s so much further north. I’m sure I’d not survive a winter!
Still, I guess it keep’s you inside with your story. Good luck as we move into the second half, Thea!
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Oh! I wish I could move to somewhere warmer! But see no possibility, have no plan – but it’s said, you never shall say never. 😉
Got curious, and checked out the longitude for the city where I live, in the south of Sweden – which is a really long country north-south-wise.
It’s almost in the same position as Edinburgh. Just slightly more to the north.
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Edinburgh is pretty cold! Beautiful city though. Scotland in summer, especially the islands, is wonderful. I imagine Sweden might be similar, although my vision is slightly coloured by the Wallander novels, in which the weather is almost always grim, plus all the murders, of course! Mankell was such a good author, shame they’ll be no more.
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I have never visited Britain. But thanks to TV series, documentaries and such, I really would love to. Especially Scotland.
Didn’t Mankell live in South Africa? I am not sure, but at least later in life, or something? Really good writer.
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He spent time in a number of African countries and was a great advocate for the poor and oppressed. His novel ‘The White Lioness’ is set in South Africa and when the film was made, one scene was filmed in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village which is less than 1 km from our first house here. That was very exciting to see!
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So much I didn’t know! (Don’t know.)
Yes! I can imagine how exiting that must have been!
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Ugh, I know what you mean. It hit me this past week that I never really had a solid motivation for my main character. I think I just expected her to be killed and be done. For all the characters here, I realized she was the one who didn’t WANT something, and that’s just not possible. Here’s hoping we can keep working away at those motivations in the weeks to come! 🙂
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It’s all part of the process, isn’t it? Ideas come, then shape and form. They’re good, but then sometimes you have to work backwards and do some reshaping.
I had an ‘ah-ha’ moment early this morning, and another a few more pieces have fallen into place. This was after two of my characters had an unexpected row, yesterday afternoon; the words just came tumbling out and I couldn’t think why. A night’s sleep and I figured it out.
Sometimes, for me at least, a character’s true motivation doesn’t reveal itself until I’ve got to know them better.
I’m confident you’ll find out what’s really driving her. 🙂
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Thanks, Chris! It’s amazing what a little time away can do for the brain; what felt like a jumbled mess suddenly all fits together, and you’re wondering why on earth you didn’t see it before. 🙂 xxxxxx
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