Done!

As I mentioned earlier, my plan is to write material this month that fits in together in some way with the novel I am currently writing.

Today’s task was to write a story starring my main character that took place in a different time and place than the novel. I was hoping for something that might or might not fit into the book, but would at the very least illuminate her character further for me.

My first attempt failed within 400 words. I thought I would try a first person monologue, but (perhaps inevitably) it ended up as the character (Corey) just going on and on without much in the way of plot developing and, as a result, no obvious end point in sight. It wasn’t a bad monologue and I may use an expanded version of it in the novel, but it wasn’t a story and I am set on writing stories this month.

I just looked at the schedule for the month that I wrote up and I see, much to my chagrin, that I have similar backstory anecdotes for other characters (and a couple more for Corey) planned for the first half of the month.  I may have to shuffle things around a bit. Or maybe I’ll get better at this (I rather hope so, but don’t want to bet on it).

My second attempt came from a recent prompt from a mailing list that had given me the beginning of an idea for an anecdote. The prompt was a set of words (nuptials, punch, garter, bouquet, mother-in-law), none of which appear in the story I wrote today. So. But I did come up with a story about Corey being a bridesmaid for her boss, her boss’ overly dramatic behaviour and the eventual explanation for it.

On to day two…