Questions I Ask While Crafting a Scene

There is something delightful about curling up in my writing chair with my computer, a mug of hot decaf coffee, music playing softly and snow falling lazily outside. My suitcases are still waiting to be unpacked but they’re mostly hidden behind my couch at this moment so I can focus on my writing.

Since Thursday or Friday of last week I’ve been working on writing at least a thousand words each day on my story, When Life Hands You Lymes. There’s been a gargantuan change between how I was writing the story last year and how I’m writing it this year. It’s actually rather humbling and painful to think of how I let y’all see all the early segments, but I’m still glad I did. I had to have the accountability and the drive to keep me going because I knew if I didn’t have motivation I would slack off.  

(source – How I picture the main dining room in WLHYL) 

I now have around eleven thousand words of writing from this year (I took about a month where I did the barest amount of writing while I was traveling and busy with my other job), and my pace is rapidly picking up. I’m amazed at the different thought processes I’m having when creating a scene. My thoughts are constantly asking questions such as:

~What’s this character’s love language?
~What would Madalyn be smelling, hearing, seeing, and physically feeling right now?
~Would her mom really say that? Or is it something her dad would say?
~Does this scene move the story forward?
~Is Madalyn changing too rapidly or too slowly?
~Have I mentioned physical pain (or Katie’s work or Mom running or taking vitamins or whatever I’m writing about) recently, and if so is this getting redundant?
~What can I write now that will foreshadow what Madalyn is going to go through in the future?
~Have I added enough of the musical element into the story?
~Is there enough of the setting being described?

(source – A random setting in Madalyn’s house) 

Madalyn has also changed greatly. To all of you folks who read the early part of the story, I don’t know what to say. I think that deep down inside of her that’s the way she naturally is (outgoing, always around people, etc…) but where I currently am in the story she’s been sick for so long it’s no longer evident. 

I’m really excited about figuring Madalyn out and crafting her story into a believable, thought-provoking, touching novel. I hope you enjoy getting to be part of the first draft, horrible though it may be. 

* * *
What are you doing on this fine, snowy day? 
And, do you have any suggestions for Madalyn and her story? I’d be delighted to hear them!

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