I worked late, again, which meant I was driving home later than usual, which means traffic. While I drove I let my mind wander, knowing that I needed some good thinking time to figure out what is going on with MTLB (my WIP). I’m trying to figure out where a good thinking place would be because other than the drives through the backroads on the way to Santa Cruz, I’m fresh out of thinking spots. The doctor told me no walking the dog until my knee heals. I don’t think my husband, as supportive as he is, would agree to just drive back and forth through the woods for a few hours every night so I could think. But this book is new. It needs lots of thinking time. Traffic got worse. Cars slowed down. Slower still. I inched along waiting to merge into the metering lane which would merge into another metering lane and then it happened. One idea popped into my head. Then another. I couldn’t reach for a pen, not in that traffic. I couldn’t reach my phone to call home and leave a message for myself (yes, I do this sometimes if I’m afraid I might forget). So I started repeating the few lines to myself over and over again, like I wanted to remember them for a play. I didn’t want to forget a single word.
Frankie (my MC) tells me this is VERY IMPORTANT STUFF. I mutter to myself. I merge. I keep muttering. Merge again. Add a couple more sentences. Mutter louder. Harder to remember them all now. I never was any good in drama class. 4 lane freeway, at last. I drive faster. Frankie talks faster, like he’s afraid he won’t have enough time to get it all out. I accidentally hit my horn and tick off the guy in the white truck next to me. My heart is beating like crazy so I know this is good. I can’t wait to get home and write. I can see the entire scene unfolding and Frankie is screaming “no no no” in my ear. I miss my turnoff so I have to get off at the next exit and make a U-turn. Frankie is still yammering at me but I don’t want to tell him to slow down because he might run away again. He does that a lot. Finally I pull into the driveway and shoo the squirrels out of my way as I race into the house, throw open the back door for the dog and grab a pen and my tablet.
As fast as I can I write it all down. Every single word. I reread it once then twice. Suddenly I’m the one screaming “no no no” in my own head because Frankie is nowhere around and he left out a few important pieces of information.
Was it the little girl or the dog?
It sounds like you made some great progress! I seem to get lots of ideas in the car and while I’m at the gym. I’ve also done the little chant to memorize lines so that I don’t forget before I get to paper. I know how you feel! What if you got one of those tiny, hand-held tape recorders? Then you could dictate to yourself in the car.
Congrats on all the progress!
I have a really nice Sony handheld but it just doesn’t work for me. Dictating doesn’t connect me and then I have to transcribe it. I really tried to learn how to make it work for me when I messed up my shoulder, even got the voice software, but for me, it’s a no go. Sigh.
Wow, cool! Keep on driving!
Susan, that is so funny. I now find myself doing that all the time, formulating just the right words in my mind, being in traffic and trying to repeat them as not to forget. I often call myself, text message my wifes phone, or even pulled over, ran into a convenience store and borrowed a pencil once.
Hey, today I posted my first writing assignment from your writing prompts. I probably wont post all of them, but I plan on doing them to get my fingers wet.
Don
Don, nice to know I’m not the only wacky writer around. 🙂 And way cool on doing the prompts. I should have said something about posting optional. I’m always more likely to do them in my own notebook.
Stupid Frankie — figures he’d show up while you’re in “Zen” drive mode. They always do. But leaving out important details? Not cool . . .
Yeah, I think he figured out that I couldn’t handle the answer. Something bad is going to happen to one of them and it’s not going to be pretty.
“Love the writing, love the writing, love the writing…the rest will follow.”
Jane Yolen
I think I’ve told you this, Susan, but I just adore this quote…and Yes, I am so happy to have the picture of Popcorn and Ernestine – I went to the Opry House in Maggie Valley, and I felt like I was stepping into the pages of my book. I love your driving story and Frankie story – so many of my ideas come from the car, carting children hither and yon…driving, driving.