I continue to read Kress and I am happy to report it is making a difference as I consider my characters from various vantage points of motivation, emotion and inner conflict. The Scion girls are changing and beginning to take on more rounded shapes. They are trying on new clothes to see if they fit, are good enough for alterations or should be discarded. This is pleasing to me as the more “real” and curvy they become, the easier it is to write about them walking, talking and interacting with each other and the environment.

The more this process continues, the more convinced I am that a major, if not radical, rewrite of the entire storyline is a good idea. Though I will keep many of the major landmarks, I can tell the plot is drifting away from my intended Propp-esque outline. I still want it to be recognizable by those familiar with his work, but I am beginning to wonder if his ideas were not hemming in my own. Indeed, this may have been a problem all along and not just in relation to Propp and my plot. I had intended to write up these characters based on three online friends. I think I may have been overly concerned with whether or not the Scion girls were recognizable to my three friends. Thus, instead of letting them develop, ripen and mature into who or what my muse wanted them to be, I was subconsciously holding them back to keep them purposely familiar.

Presently I’m in chapter four and working on a “Emotional Mini-Bio” for each of them. It is one of those things more experienced writers do without prompting. I however, need to follow this more formal approach it seems and put these characters at least through their paces. As hinted above, it is helping. In the meantime, in another dark corner of my mind, additional plot ideas and adjustments have been simmering, changes and edits based on my discoveries.

It is my hope to digest Kress’ suggestions and use them more intuitively with my next set of characters of which there are not a few hammering at the gates, as it were, clamoring for admission and due process. Sorry folks, one set of zombies at a time.

Time…sigh.

My world is indeed crowded, both the world of my imagination and the physical world. School is on the downhill slope. Both my charges and I are looking forward to May 31st with great anticipation. Presently Prom preparations, senior-itis and Benchmarks/STAR/Exit exams are primary concerns. On the home front an approaching set of solo piping competitions at the end of the month are forefront in my mind and the limited time I have after school is devoted to practice and trying to get a “…good going pipe” ready for the contests (I’ll keep my piping comments to a minimum and expand on them in my piping blog). My Lady’s third stop smoking attempt in the last ten years continues apace and I’m happy to say, so far so good. I am bursting with pride and admiration for her whole hearted decision and determined follow through. She is, and always will be, my inspiration. It does, however make for some tense moments and cranky days, but I could careless as long as she is happy.

My own attempts at life changing also continues as my diet adjusts for the better and…other things…begin to find their place. Time however, and as ever, is at a premium: writing in the morning; school during the day; piping in the afternoon; family—when our schedules coincide—in the evening; catch up on the weekends. Spring break starts Friday. I look forward to more family time, as well as time to both write and pipe…it would be nice to do some woodworking too and go for a bike ride or two.