So, I had lots of plans for this week. It was going to be very busy.
Then it rained on Monday, so my while-my-youngest-is-in-preschool activity (dog agility) got cancelled. Then a doctor called to cancel an appointment for Wednesday. Suddenly, my week was looking a lot less hectic.
I spent my new-found time on Monday checking out different types of cars in anticipation of our older one giving out. This turned out to be a prophetic move, as the car in question finished its useful life the next day.
Suddenly, my medium-busy week was frantic. I’ve had to deal with loans, test drives, figuring out what we actually need (and can afford).
It’s been a lot of work, but I had everything (marginally) under control. I took the other car to the shop for maintenance today (with 2-year-old in tow) and while waiting on that, finished up the paperwork to sell the other one. Everything was going swimmingly, until I found out that my car would need to stay there until late this afternoon. Thankfully, they dropped me (and my little one) off at home and will pick me up later. However, this throws off all my other plans. I can’t really make new ones because I don’t know when the work will be done.
So, my grand conclusion is that I should probably stop planning… or add about 14 levels of contingency plans. I’m really not sure which.
What’s this got to do with writing? First, this should explain why I missed yesterday’s post (sorry!). Second, this is sort of what happens when I write. I might think I’m writing about a little girl, but then it really becomes about what was supposed to be a minor character.
Should I reroute my story? Should I see where it takes me? Should I engineer a way to make it go back where I wanted?
I tend to go with “the add about 14 levels of contingency plans to my planning”…which has my husband trying to revoke my pass to “What If” land. As far as writing/story telling, the beauty of computers in whatever form you use them these days (desktop, laptop, iphone, ipad, etc) is you can write it all out and go back and edit and you get to rewrite it. Life doesn’t often let you rewrite or have a do over.
Linda,
Yes, that is the nice thing about computers. Mind, it’s the time wasted on stuff that doesn’t work that drives me nuts. I do wish life had a do-over button (or maybe a “save game” you could restore to?).
So your “prophetic move” was actually a well thought out & timed plan
and the rest, well that’s what happens to me if I plan too much, so I like to call plans “guidelines” and in that way lessen the attachment & trauma. As for writing, I agree with Linda, write away and meld it together when & how it feels right.
EllaDee,
Thanks for the comments. I think you might be on to something there with the guidelines.
The best plans….. Every time we make them something comes along and spread them to the wind. I hope you get the car sorted out. That is a real hassle
See where your story takes you. The world is telling you something there.
I just hope the world isn’t telling me something like, “Go stick your head in the toilet.”