Current Project: Current WIP (still something Shadows or Shadows something)Status: Does it count that I can't seem to stop thinking about this thing -- the characters, the plot, the setting?
I've been trying like mad to come up with a solid topic for today's post. As you may have already guessed, I totally failed. Instead, you'll have to do with this random scattershot of thoughts. Perhaps that's apropos, since I'm easily distracted lately.
Speaking of being distracted (see what I mean?), I seem to be suffering more and more from what I call the 'oooh, shiny' syndrome when it comes to doing research, especially internet research. You know what I mean. It happens to all of us on occasion. There I am, innocently browsing the interwebs, looking for an answer to a question about Cypress tree varieties, when I get sidetracked by clicking on an interesting looking link. Suddenly I find myself emerging from a mental fog minutes (okay, hours) later wondering what the heck happened and why I'm staring at a Wikipedia page about the Siskiyou Trail.
Getting back to those Cypress trees, I was actually looking for something to use as the name of a fictional small private college. Don't think the tree angle is going to work. I plan to set the college somewhere on the California coast, north of San Francisco. I like the "College of the ___" type of nomenclature, but unfortunately, my first two choices--"College of the Redwoods" and "College of the Sequoias"--both already exist as Community Colleges. I guess I'll just have to think about it some more and try to come up with something locale appropriate. Unfortunately, "College of the Scrub Oaks" just doesn't have that same majestic ring to it.
Which segues into a related topic. I've been thinking about the importance of names in my WIPs. I'm not referring to character names--of course those are important. I'm talking about the other names, the place names (rivers, mountains, etc.), city names, and business names. I'm one of those writers who prefer to make up a setting, when possible, rather than use an existing place. For example, I have an old WIP set in the fictional town of Arroyo Verde, situated somewhere on the California coast between San Simeon and Cayucos. I probably could have just used Cambria, but then I'd have to get the details right for Cambria. By using Arroyo Verde, I could create what I wanted for the town, while still getting the feel of that part of the coast correct. Hmmm...some day I'll have to revisit Arroyo Verde. It's such a beautiful spot, with so many secrets...
Ack! See -- easily distracted. I'm not sure what to do about that. Maybe it isn't such a bad thing, that is, so long as I can rein myself in quickly enough so that I don't waste too much time following tangents. What about you? Maybe you don't have this problem. But if you do, how do you get back on track?
By the way, the image I used for this post? Totally random picture of my cats. :-)
4 comments:
Arroyo Verde=Green Ridge.
I live on a street called Arroyo Ridge.
Arroyo Ridge=Ridge Ridge.
Very creative naming on the part of the developer.
NOT!
Yeah, I hear ya on the whole gettin' side-tracked thing. Happens to me all the time. But hey, you can learn a lot in the process of all those side-tracked treks.
I love the fact that we can think a thought, have a question about it and cruise the interwebs for the solution. It's amazing. Like having a crystal ball at our fingertips.
And as far as your status goes, of course it counts that you can't stop thinking about all of that. If you didn't think about it then you'd have zip. And you have to formulate a plan before you can write about it.
So, be glad you have stuff randomly flying through your head about your WIP because someday it's all going to come together and you'll have a finished novel.
See, it's all good, baby! It's all good. *wink*
I also make up names of towns and rivers and lodges and airports ... I understand your dilemmas. I also get stuck in research though I am so goal orientated I am pretty strict with myself about getting down to business. Or maybe I just lack your imagination ... hm...
This is what I do -- I search for a sound I like and that comes out of who knows where. In the last book, I needed several fictional names. I chose Tampoo, Washington. Thunder Lodge is in is Idaho as is Storm Creek and also a little town the bypass gutted named Twilight. They were just the sounds I liked, and the number of syllables.
And, by the way, I don't think you rambled at all...
I love "oh shiny!" distractions--and not just on the internet. There's an anecdote that makes the rounds on loops every once in awhile that talks about the work that women do around the house. You start out folding laundry, but while you are carrying the laundry basket from the dry to the table, you notice that the napkin holder needs refilled. And while you are putting napkins in the holder, you notice that you are out of spaghetti that you wanted to have for dinner, so you go to the store. And while on the way to the store, you go by... At the the end of the day, the laundry still isn't folded and you wonder where the time went.
Well, that's not exactly the way the anecdote goes, but that pretty much describes how easily side-tracked I am. So I can relate to your distracted state of mind. :)
As for names of places in stories, I like Alice's method of making them up. Find something I like and go with it, though I usually have something with a double meaning. For instance, there's a little town named Halo in my second book, FEATHERS ON THE FLOOR, and that name fits in great with the children's belief in angels in that book. However, the name "Halo" is actually related to astonomy because the founder of the town had an interest in that topic.
Even if I use a city (like Portland), I may use some real places, but I make up the street name the characters live on so I have some creative license. Besides, things change. You can research an area and by the time the book is published a year or so later, the empty field you have carefully checked out is becoming a high-rise development.
And not being able to stop thinking about your WIP is indeed a good thing!
I use real places and names in my historicals but in the contemporaries I make up the towns but have them like towns I know.
As for sidetracked... I've been doing a lot of research for my next project which always seems to lead me off in other directions.
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