Welp, I just finished my third first chapter.
Come again?
Let me back up. After spending many hours writing out a detailed outline of my sequel to the Gifted Sisters and the Golden Mirror, I knew I had to be ready to start writing in chapter form. Except my mind had other plans. After writing the first two chapters, my ideas begin to change. So instead of scrapping what I had so far, I started over in hopes to use what I had already later on. So I begin again. I knew exactly where this story was going to go.
Wait.
Hold on.
Ooh, a dragon sounds really cool. What if she has a dragon? Okay, let’s start over. La la la….uh, wait, no a dragon doesn’t belong here….what if the other sister has it instead? Why do I need a dragon again. Ugh. Okay. No dragon.
So I carry on again with the outline I had originally laid out. Except once again, another idea comes to mind….no, wait. Doh! It’s a dragon again. This is when I start telling myself that I can’t have everything I want. Some things just can’t be forced. That’s when I allow myself to relax and just let the story flow naturally.
Thus came the first third chapter of my book.
Exhausting right? This is the constant battle that ensues during my whole writing process. Some authors don’t use outlines, it makes them feel confined. While others rely on them to keep their ideas on track. I have found that I do a combination of both. My outline changes constantly. As long as I know where I will end up, the in between can be anything I want it to be…correction, anything my characters want it to be. Because let’s be real, they are the ones in charge.
Telling a story, breathing it into existence, is one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. It’s like your own life, with so many decisions that need to be made and adventures that make you decide what kind of person you want to be. You can make an outline for your life, but I promise you it will change. Just make sure you stay true to yourself and your story will end exactly as it should.
Except in the real world I don’t get a dragon. Which is totally unfair. But that’s a story for another day.
Until then I will now begin my third second chapter.
Or watch Harry Potter….yes, that sounds good too.
(There are dragons in those…)
