Getting started on a new story—again—is never easy. I envisioned a story about Harry, the Magic Mouse for the Bluestocking Belles collection for October, Moonlight Madness. I could see my heroine seeking refuge (in a storm, of course) in a creepy house that belongs to a mysterious recluse with Harry in her pocket and no idea that he grants wishes. When mysterious things begin to happen, they blame ghosts, but it is Harry. Easy, right?
First I had to get her to the doorstep–the hows, the whys, and why she has the mouse. That took a painful slog and an entire chapter. As I began chapter 2 I realized that was were my story really starts–with her in the rain and thunder trudging to the door. Readers don’t need all that stuff in the first chapter, even if I do. It breaks an authors’ heart to delete an entire chapter but delete it I did.
So next, confront her with a mysterious recluse who is… What? Who? and why is he there, and what is the mystery to solve. Sigh. I need to know who my characters are before I can write. Call it writing 101, the lessons we learn over and over.
Time for a walk. Walking can be writing; trust me on that one. But first, coffee.