This is a photo of a canoe built on Guam and was designed after the famous "flying proa" that so impressed Magellan when he arrived at that island.(Photo by Sandra Okada)
Getting back into it after a four-day cruise down the Chesapeake Bay is tough. Where did that productive routine I had going go? It's around here somewhere. Maybe under my recliner.
Ah, there it is. So let's get back to it. 162 pages into the book. Face the problem of plotting today. Writing is a lot easier if you know what's happening in the scene and what's going to happen after that. This morning I was faced with a decision: time to head into the final chapters and the denouement--bring it all together, the climax, the end. My vision is a book about 250 pages. It could be a tad shorter.
I've got three--let's see--4 characters including the Spirit of the Voyage itself. The most crucial ingredients in any novel are its characters. Conjure up characters that reach out and grab the reader and then you've got something. I hope I'm doing that.
So, I did find my routine. It was under the recliner and came out when I called it. It goes like this: up at 7:00 (If I feel like it--one of retirements perks), a cuppa while I catch up on the news (Ted Kennedy died last night), breakfast, then, finally, open this laptop and get going.
Another secret to writing, in addition to those characters, is this routine. Stick to it, and after a year or so, you will have written a book.
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