November is the flagship National Novel Writing Month during which the traditional goal is to write a 50,000-word draft for a new novel. My project, though, is a work in progress I began November 2017. My goal (again) is to finish revisions on the second Detective Scott McGregor mystery, Murder Goes on Vacation.
Yesterday afternoon I worked on defining and fleshing out Scott’s internal conflict in several scenes while struggling not to cross the line between flawed character and weak character. I thought about character development again last night before I drifted off to sleep.
This morning I wasn’t surprised to find Scott in bed with me when I woke. “It’s early, and I want to sleep longer,” I mumbled.
“No, wake up. I have an idea,” the Scott character in my mind said.
“Stop crowding me. Move over and be quiet.”
“No, get up. I have something to tell you.”
Knowing he wouldn’t give up, I sat up, grabbed the pen and paper from my bedside table, and jotted down the inspiration before it evaporated.
Yup, it’s NaNo month.
