I swear I do have control over my characters. I’m the author, I decide their every motion. I can force them to produce llama noises if that’s what I want them to do. Unfortunately, what I want is for them to stay true to themselves, and my inner-critic tells me that my characters are not prone to producing llama noises when staying true to themselves.
As everyone knows, the past few days I’ve been stuck on chapter five. There has been no movement forward. None. Zip. Zero. (I could get the thesaurus out for more words but I think you get the idea.) I’ve even been fantasizing about other stories, and writing out a list of theme music for my next novel. My house has never looked cleaner. What does that tell you?
Well I finally figured out why I couldn’t move forward. According to my outline, mom’s not supposed to walk her through the woods. According to Mom however, there is no way her little baby girl is going outside without protection until she’s sure it’s safe.
We have a deadlock. I can’t find a way to write Mom into the scene, and Mom isn’t leaving. Sorry.
…
Unless…
Unless of course, something far more sinister is coming in the back door, and she needs to hold the sinister creature off while Elizabeth makes a dash for it. ^^
Now you see why I have this blog. I can’t talk it out with a Writing Buddy, so I talk it out with my readers, because I know awesome people like Carol are out there listening. As I talk, I get ideas, and with the ideas, solutions.
Thank you, all. I know you haven’t even replied yet, but you’re already so helpful. Now, onward!
A.M. Kuska's Blog 
Aug 17, 2010 @ 12:13:20
Maybe mom thinks it’s safe, has been fooled into believing so. Maybe she’s been fooled by her little baby girl, who then finds that she wishes mom was there walking her through the woods but has no choice but to continue on without her. The whole thing therefore becomes a rite of passage for the little baby girl, who by the end may still be little but no longer baby. And she doesn’t tell mom upon conclusion because she a) doesn’t want mom to worry/fret retroactively and b) no longer really feels the need for that much protection from mom, seeing as how she made it through the story hazard all by herself. She loves mom, of course, but is now no longer in need of babying.
A possible out for you?
Growth. Arc. New relationship angle.
Aug 17, 2010 @ 13:38:41
Hmmm. *twiddles pencil* actually, that’s not bad. I really need her to not need mommy. >_>
Aug 17, 2010 @ 23:30:00
That’s why I get paid the big money. (Not.)
(I do, however, have a good deal of experience… well, not really co-authoring at all… more like reading and offering ideas as stories/scripts are in development. Not for dinero, though, just for kicks.)
^_^
Aug 17, 2010 @ 12:46:13
You didn’t even need us! You figured it out. Find some way to hinder mom from going. It could be something bad coming in the back door, but then, would baby leave mom? Maybe something less sinister but something that mom cannot ignore, like a sprained ankle, a nasty virus, a sick sister that needs her temporary care. You know the story and the best sidetrack for mom. Could be that sinister back door buster after all! Thanks for sharing.
Aug 17, 2010 @ 13:40:26
The problem with a mom is that they have a rather amazing ability to defend their youngsters. I bet your average mom could hold off a bear with two sprained ankles, and a straight jacket, while her kids scurried off to safety.
Aug 17, 2010 @ 12:46:17
Good for you! That is a powerful reason for the child to be on her own in the woods. Onward!
Aug 17, 2010 @ 12:48:26
Yeah. I like what tsactuo said, too.
Aug 17, 2010 @ 15:22:57
Oooo, good stuff here. I love it when we can come together to work out possibilites *and* when we can also figure it out for ourselves. It’s a win/win!
Aug 17, 2010 @ 22:26:28
I’m touched by the fact that everyone is coming together to resolve problems here on my blog. I’ve never had a blog with a community feeling to it, even though I’ve strived for that every single time. I try every suggestion I get, if not on the current problem than on a similar one.
Aug 17, 2010 @ 16:41:44
No help from skydiaries camp…unless you count the advice “let it be until it is.” Sometimes I think it’s more like chipping away at a diamond from the outside rather than planting it in brain-earth and hoping it’ll grow. Good luck. We’re with you!
Aug 17, 2010 @ 22:25:02
I’m beginning to think that’s just how it’s going to be for the whole story. I am not going to write one iota faster, so I might as well just give in and write down what comes as it comes.