I have recently made the most incredible discovery: Writing a novel? Is freaking AWESOME! I am so for reals, y'all! SO. FOR. REALS.
Okay. Here's the dealy-o. I made a New Year's resolution this year-- a pact with myself, or, dare I say a "goal"?-- to finish the novel I have been working on. Which in itself is no small feat, I tell you what, because the first book I ever wrote took, like, a whole year to complete! Of course, that was when I was twelve and there was all that angst and puberty stuff going on, not to mention all those gymnastics meets, and hello? home computers and word processors hadn't even been invented yet, so the whole thing was completely handwritten, but GOSH! I so wanted to be the next Erma Bombeck because she? Cracked me right up. I mean seriously, have you ever read Just Wait till You Have Children of Your Own! or The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side of the Septic Tank? HILARIOUS! And the other day I scrounged up an old paperback copy of If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, Why Am I Always in the Pits? at a thrift store where I was attempting to shop the sale, and I snagged that bad boy before anyone could beat me to it. The people at the store obviously had no idea of the treasure they were practically giving away because they only charged me a QUARTER for the book. A quarter! For a book which, granted, was in remarkably poor condition, but still! Twenty-five cents! For Erma! The original Dave Barry! But not really! Woo!
But I digress.
Anyhoos, thing is, I am learning that for me, writing this book is almost as fun as reading a brand-spanking new novel that I have been dying to get my hands on for, like, ever. A book that sucks me in, chews me up, and spits me out ONLY when I have read the final line of the book. And even then the actual story sometimes still doesn't loosen its grip-- not for an hour or two anyway-- because I am still completely wrapped up in the characters and can't... seem... to... get it.... all... out of my mind. So you would probably think that actually writing the story wouldn't be as fun as reading fresh, unknown material, what with the exciting twists and turns that the author can and will throw at the reader, but you would be absolutely incorrect, sir! and ma'am! Well, at least in my case this was an erroneous assumption because it turns out that my characters? The ones I make up? Well, they surprise the hell out of me. All the time, in point of fact. Isn't that strange? I mean, of course I know my characters' backstories because duh, and of course I have a clear idea of where I want the story to go, but the specifics? Ka-BAM! They come out of nowhere, I tell you what. And as I type I am all, "Nuh-freaking-uh!" and "Oh, no she d'int!" And obviously there are the occasional laughing fits and those sporadic crying jags, too. Because they are alive to me, my intimate companions as I spin their story; I absolutely KNOW them and WOE unto the fool who tries to interrupt my Alone Time with the new people in my life.
Honestly. It's a mercy TGIM hasn't had me committed.
And today Fred (AKA: my new Mac laptop-- see, I'm a Mac girl now) is being delivered and I get to set her all up and begin playing with her, and then I can take her to the park or to the library with me and the children and when the mood strikes I can just let it all OUT and how fabulously exciting is that?! Huh?! Pretty darn exciting, and that's the truth.
In fact, I may even skip the whole American Idol Boston Auditions crap that will be gracing the tube tonight. Because I have discovered that writing a novel is also more fun than watching Simon, Paula, and Randy openly mock the trash-talking-but-not-walking-the-walk-walking singers (and I use the word "singers" loosely here) that we have to suffer through before the good ones actually pop out of the woodworks. Even more fun than that, y'all. And that is truly saying something.
I KNOW, right?
Life is full of fun little discoveries, isn't it?
5 Comments:
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WILLIAM commented:
You with Freddy Mac in your lap...let wordgasms fly.
- » 2/07/2006 10:20 AM
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Cat commented:
mrtl: I know. I'm feeling decidely unrighteous.
william: Dude, you are brilliant. That was genius, I am so serious! (How do you do that? With the funny?) My husband, of course, will be all sorts of jealous, but probably a little turned on, as Freddy Mac is a "she," and you know how guys are when presented with a little girl-on-girl action...- » 2/07/2006 11:35 AM
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LadyBug commented:
I'm with mrtl. I can't believe you would even TYPE the words "skip...American Idol." Blasphemy, indeed, I tell you what.
- » 2/07/2006 1:25 PM
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Ern commented:
When you write about reading? I TOTALLY get it. You could, in fact, be writing directly out of MY head, and I don't know how you do that.
Also, I think this is a sign that you have created amazing, three-dimensional characters, which are the best kind of course, and the ones that stay with you.
Can't wait to read your book. :)- » 2/07/2006 3:19 PM
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BirdMadGirl commented:
If you missed AI last night... you didn't miss much. Everything about the Boston auditions sucked.
- » 2/08/2006 8:45 AM