Dreaming ‘n’ Plotting, Dreaming ‘n’ Plotting, Dreaming ‘n’ Plotting

I couldn’t sleep Monday night. I lay awake and waited for sleep. And waited.

And waited. Snuggled into the warmth. Listened to the steady breathing. Nudged my Beloved to stop snoring. And waited. Hello, sleep. I'm here. Hullllooo!

And then I gave up and began plotting.

And not one, but two glimmering plots revealed themselves.

Christmas came very early this year.

I’ve known these stories nearly ten years now. The characters have been sitting around in the waiting room, occasionally playing a back-up roll, but never coming into their own, never coming fully alive.

Suddenly, the spotlights have illuminated them and I know them. I know what makes them tick, I know their true story.

I've been worried about one of the characters because she’s a bit of a prig and I didn't know how I’d carry her off for a whole book. Turns out she’s like that because she lives so deeply and vividly in her dreams she needs complete control in her waking hours. She’s a True Dreamer.

And my vegan, fair-trading, pacifist control freak is just about to meet up with a carnivorous, freewheeling, were-wolf were-cat cross who’s been newly appointed as head of Law Enforcement in the Lands.

The second character I’ve been worried about for the opposite reason – she’s a complete diva, spoilt, indulged and over the top. How to play on her strengths without making her completely unlikeable? I think I’m getting there. My original plot of Death by Chocolate has been strengthened with Lands magic – and I’ve thrown in a truckload of Dragons and a Wizard who is not-at-all-what-he-seems. As well as a ‘trueloves’ kiss that brings her back from death.

The hours ticked over and I knew the following day might have its problems. But the words flowed and I couldn’t bring myself to stop.

Finally putting my laptop away I returned to the warm darkness…. To plot and dream, plot and dream…

Until  my Beloved brought through the first coffee of the day.

Since then I’ve been writing desperately.

They’re pushy, those characters. Bossy and demanding, the pair of them. I was determined to devote the next six weeks to editing and critiquing. Looks like I have other plans.

But I can’t find it in me to really mind.