So. Kristen Stewart. *gives standing ovation for badassness*
Since I already broke down my writing stages using Robert Pattinson's hair, I thought it would be appropriate to borrow Kristen's face for a similar analogy. You see, that girl's mug always reminds me of what I look like when I brainstorm for a first draft.
Cue obscure indie music:
1) The Spark- This is when an idea bursts into my brain. It could've been a song, another book, a quote by a random stranger--something inspired me to not have a social life for the next three months. And once The Spark arrives, I get all giddy and shameless, like this:
2) The Who, What and Where- The main character speaks to me. The problem he/she needs to solve begins to take shape. The world he/she lives in seems to build itself. Everything falls into place without a hitch. I do not hate The Spark for one minute. I feel like the Queen Of The Badass Universe, and walk around looking at people like this:
3) The Plotting- I have the premise figured out, so I sit down and write like crazy. Since I don't outline my stories before I write them, I usually make more wrong turns than I care to admit. I might've blown past Plot Point A, but get stuck on Plot Point F. The story starts to look like the lamest thing ever pondered by a life form. Nothing makes sense. The world is stupid, and you hate everybody. This is when I start doing this:
4) The Boost- I stop writing Lamest Story Ever and focus on getting fat. Ice cream, chocolate--nothing is off limits. The world is sort of okay again. I pick up a book by Bestselling Better Author Than Me, and I drink in every single word, studying their craft. Then it hits me: Bestselling Better Author Than Me is successful for many reasons, but the one that matters most is that he/she never gave up. Only pansies do that. And in publishing, there's no room for pansies. So I plop down in front of my laptop, open that manuscript again and come up with stronger, better ways to tell my story. Maybe I write a brief outline. Maybe I just think and write scenes as they pop into my head. What matters is that I stare at self-doubt in the face like this:
5) The Sigh- 300+ pages later, I have a completed manuscript. This involved tons of glaring at self-doubt, as well as flipping off those plot holes I couldn't seem to get right. And of course, other drafts will bring more headaches and plot issues, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. The one thing that runs through my tired mind is this: all that hard work finally paid off. *sighs* All that brainstorming got me through a first draft, no matter how rough it is. *sighs again* I could grin like an idiot all day long, but I have a reputation to keep. I flash the widest smile my badass nature will allow:
There you go, friends--Kristen Stewart's face mirrors mine when I'm drafting.
Lucky me.
How about you? Any examples as to how you survive the brainstorming process? Is it just as tough as it is for me, or do you cruise right by the finish line?
