Thursday, August 23, 2007

Maybe I just need to shower more often

Three weeks away from the deadline to turn in my complete manuscript for At His Command, which will be released in Septemer 2008, I was still clueless about the story's theme. I totally stink at analyzing stories--mine or anybody else's, but I needed to articulate my reason for writing this book. After all, if I don't care deeply about what I've written, why should anyone else?

After another panicked glance at the calendar, I took a long, hot shower to calm myself. And somewhere between shampooing and conditioning my hair, I realized there had been a theme to this story all along. An embarrassingly simple theme. I said it aloud a couple of times so I wouldn't forget, and then I rushed back to my office, where I wrote it on my whiteboard.

And now that I've blogged for the day, I can't wait to get back to my book.

4 comments:

Julie Carobini said...

The shower is my number one favorite place in the whole world to write books. Unfortunately, California's heading for a drought, meaning less water, meaning shorter showe...ack!

Anonymous said...

I also do my best thinking in the shower. I've even started to keep paper and pen just outside the shower door!

K.M. Saint James said...

I'm glad to her someone else admit the whole 'theme' thing throws a loop around them. I never know my theme. It's there, tucked in between dialogue and careful introspection, I just don't actually know it. Thank god for CPs and their ability to see to the good stuff.

Showers are an amazing way to find the right words. My muse actually lives in the shower -- go figure. Now, if I could just find a way to get that broad into my office. *Grin*

Brenda Coulter said...

Two words for you, Julie dear: bubble baths.
;-)

Vicki and Sandra, I have toyed with the idea of using a marker on my shower wall. Is there something that wouldn't splash off, but could still be erased somehow? And if not, would somebody please invent something?
;-)