I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Monday, August 10, 2009

Forced mains are not the way to go

Spent lunch trying to work through the opening of Chapter 18. Came to the conclusion that I'm going to keep the end of 17 the way it is now. Changing it felt like I was forcing it where it didn't want to go. And once I let it go, I figured out the chain of events to get everything done. Ah, a plan coming together.

And when I let it go back to where the story wanted to be, the text started flowing again.

2 comments:

Jarrett Rush said...

Isn't it amazing what can happen when you let go of where you want things to go and let the story do what it wants to organically?

Steve Buchheit said...

Jarrett, yes it is. This seems to be a lesson I have to continually learn.

Now the opposite of this is that your plot shouldn't be facile. The most obvious answer probably isn't the one you want. Or, to reverse an all too often used trick, the transporter should be on the fritz just as you absolutely need it to solve a problem quickly (but explain it rationally and before you have the problem that it could solve easily).

In my own case there are cell phones, so the action involves phoning people and telling them about impending doom. It's then that human nature takes over, and the cavalry, while it eventually shows up, if often late to the party.