Profanity.

My current WIP has a fair bit of profanity. I never planned it this way. It's just that I've been working hard to be true to these characters and not sugar-coat their dialogue. I've never really thought the profanity would end up being a problem because most of the YA authors I would hope to emulate use it in their writing in the same way.

I was interested to learn during a recent read-through of my draft that the eff-word is much more prevalent in the chapters that were completed earlier in the project than those that are more recent. Interesting! It's almost like the more I've gotten to know some of the characters, the less they've been cussing.

Weird.

I'm writing a scene where Seth is in a room by himself, seeing things and thinking thoughts. It just occurred to me that this is one of the first "quiet" scenes in the story. It is in the ninth chapter. I wonder if this is a good or a bad sign...

Ride-along.

In the past week, it's become increasingly clear that I need to get some answers from the police. I mean, I can write a scene the way I imagine it would go down. I can use information I've picked up from reading, watching movies and television, and stories I've heard. But I want my work to be as real as possible. I don't want people to read it and say, "Um, yeah. It wouldn't happen like that!" Last week, I e-mailed the city police and got a call back from an officer. It was very exciting. She said she'd ask around and get me some information I need about Minors in Possession (of alcohol).

But then last night, I saw an acquaintance who happens to be a detective. I told her what I'm working on and she said, "What you need to do is go on a ride-along."

Then she gave me the phone number for a man who can hook me up and said for me to tell him that she told me to call.

I haven't had a chance to make the call yet (I left the number in a drawer at work! Grrr!), but I'm pretty excited about it. Talk about REAL.

First chapter blues.

I have a huge chunk of my manuscript in passable shape starting with chapter two. I'm probably about 10-15K words short of finishing the official draft, but once I write and work in a brand new subplot, I'll be pretty close. I keep getting hung up. You see, I want a strong start. I go through phases where I feel like I can't move forward until my first chapter meets my expectations. Unfortunately, I'm in one of these phases right now. And pathetic as this is, I am currently working on my eighth version of chapter one.

I don't mean the eighth draft; I mean the eighth completely different hook/concept/location/situation. (I can't even say how many hours I've put in. I know that version six alone was at least 65 hours.) I've been vaguely happy with a few of these versions but I always change my mind. I decide the tone is wrong, my main character isn't likeable enough, there isn't enough tension, it's the wrong place to start, or whatever!

What I want to write:

1. A first sentence/paragraph/page/chapter hook that makes people go, "Ooooh! What's going on here? I must read more of this intriguing work!"

2. A situation that is mysterious or shocking enough to keep readers wondering, but not so mysterious/shocking that they lose interest/get lost.

3. My main character in a scene with tension where he has to have a goal and make decisions.

4. My main character being likeable enough as he tries to meet his goal/make decisions that readers root for him.

I don't think it should be this hard to accomplish these things. But it really, really is.

I think it's time I tried moving forward again. I need to figure out how to make myself do that.

Character theme songs

The protag of my first manuscript had a thing for Janis Joplin's music. The theme for the story (and part of the character's journey) had a lot to do with the song "Me & Bobby McGee." I didn't incorporate any songs into my current ms, but I've been listening to old CDs I have around the house and found a song that has some parts that are really fitting for my main character's outlook at certain parts of the story. The song is "It's Been Awhile" by Staind.

And it's been awhile Since I could hold my head up high And it's been awhile Since I first saw you And it's been awhile Since I could stand on my own two feet again And it's been awhile Since I could call you

And it's been awhile Since I can say that I wasn't addicted And it's been awhile Since I can say I love myself as well And it's been awhile Since I've gone and fucked things up just like I always do And it's been awhile But all that shit seems to disappear when I'm with you

And everything I can't remember As fucked up as it all may seem The consequences that I've rendered I've gone and fucked things up again

Why must I feel this way? Just make this go away Just one more peaceful day!

And it's been awhile Since I could look at myself straight And it's been awhile Since I said I'm sorry...