Mary S. Potter

I am still working through my 2018 NANOWRIMO project and stumbled onto yet another inconsistency. I’ve already scratched my head more than once trying to figure out what I meant to say. I knew what I was saying at the time, but looking at sentences and paragraphs anew I struggle to make them out.

This time I had characters together in one location where the next phase of the story takes place. Problem is, two key characters couldn’t arrive there in the manner I originally described. So now I’m finagling an explanation so the plot can go forward as originally planned.

This all speaks to the speed composing that is NANOWRIMO. As well as the benefits of setting aside a piece of work to look at it with fresh eyes.

I didn’t do my usual pre-planning with this novel. As explained before, I’m a “plantser” who plans a route for a story but remains open to side trips and detours during the writing process. Plus, part of this novel was written during a Thanksgiving visit with friends and the associated interruptions to the NANOWRIMO writing marathon.

Those excuses aside, this first draft is a perfect example of being so pleased with myself for solving a plot problem only to come along later and find a hole left elsewhere.

On another note: I shared two draft novels with friends. One they had seen in an earlier version, and one they’ve never seen before. I find this more nerve-racking than handing over my work to a stranger (agent/editor at a conference). Your friends are your biggest fans. So — what if THEY don’t like what you’ve written? 😣

I completed the second draft of my NANOWRIMO 2020 novel, which is a Girl’s Adventure version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. This got me to thinking about RLS stories and other Boy’s Adventure tales that might be adapted to a female protagonist. So I looked up RLS novels and was inspired by specific plot elements from 2-3 of the books. Having the main character kidnapped or join a band of outlaws to rescue his beloved is interesting, but there has to be much more to a story than that.

So I considered settings and situations I’ve used in abandoned novels with a thought to resurrecting them and taking advantage of the research I’ve already done. This took me to my NANOWRIMO 2018 novel that I haven’t touched since then. I believe the center of conflict in that effort is unusual so I collected the first draft and background materials to review them.

The Interpreter is about 15-year-old Kennis who travels a region of colonized space with her independent merchant-trader grandfather Ordahl, and the small crew of the An LIng. Kennis is a whiz with languages and has acquired a working knowledge if not fluency in numerous tongues spoken by the colonials with whom they trade. She uses this skill to help Ordahl make the best deals with their routine customers. Although Kennis has made friends all over the region, she longs to remain more than just a few days at any one colony or space port.

A powerful league of merchants comprised of individual mega companies and commodity unions rules trade in colonized space. Ordahl avoids conflict with the league by dealing in unique goods with small markets that are of little interest to the huge corporations or league. However, an encounter with smugglers and rescue by the leader of a benevolent tong entangles Kennis and the crew of the An Ling in a conflict with the league.

The novel was obviously written in a hurry (duh!). It moves quickly, but is often confusing because of the strange locations and numerous characters. I knew what I meant when I wrote it, but on rereading it after a couple of years I was often tripped up until I sorted out who was who or what was meant.

But the story itself has potential and may be worth the effort to add character development and clarity.

In addition, the powerful league of merchants and valuable commodities traded could form the basis for conflict in a new story in a different setting.

It really seems like Christmas in July when I find a completed story with good bones to build on and perhaps provide the spark for a new RLS-inspired adventure tale!

After the events of 2020 we all hoped 2021 would be the road back to normalcy. However, it’s beginning on a low note for me, as I had to make the difficult decision to euthanize my dog. He was fourteen and diagnosed with a large mass (cancer) in his chest after doing poorly for about a month. He was a year old when he entered my life. Not only was he a walking partner and writing companion, but he was also a source of laughter, perspective, and empathy.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, a friend had to euthanize her thirteen-year-old dog and former playmate of my dog (when we boarded our horses at the same stable). This occurred four weeks to the day after I bid farewell to my dog. It was like reopening a wound.

So…2021 isn’t coming off much better than 2020.

Editing my old Quest novel gave me something to focus on. I completed the first run through yesterday. The primary edit was changing it from third person to first person. I rearranged some scenes, added back in commentary by an opinionated chestnut mare, and considered necessary improvement for the next edit.

In working my way through the novel I could see that I’ve learned quite a bit in the interim from conference sessions, books on writing, and magazine articles. This was a pleasant surprise. Structurally it’s on the right path, but needs more work.

Once again, however, I’ve done my usual “this happened and then this happened and then this happened” draft. I eliminated and/or slimmed down scenes, but I also need to dwell a little longer in some scenes to flesh out the characters and develop their relationships. Most importantly, I need to decide whether or not there will be a bit of romance. And if so, how will it wrap up at the end of the novel. Sure, the handsome and dashing lad swoops in at an opportune moment to aid the protagonist, but in the end she’s the hero who saves all.

As for a writing companion, I obviously need someone to get me away from the computer and outside more often. I’m spending way too much time sitting without the quick potty trips between walks through the neighborhood or in the park. I hope to find another Sheltie for a roommate. Not that I haven’t checked area shelter websites on a daily basis. But the predominant breeds/mixes up for adoption aren’t a match for me. Shelties are hard to come by, so we’ll see.

2021 could redeem itself by finding me a new furperson and a scheduling a COVID-19 vaccination.

Understandably, I was burnt out on writing after NANOWRIMO. So I decided I’d devote December to reading and recharging. I would return to my NANO first draft at a later date.

But the itch to write and/or edit was too much. I have no idea why — but this YA novel came to mind and I dug it out of the pile to work it over yet again. The original working title was The Quest for the Thing. As in, it doesn’t matter what the MacGuffin is as long as it provides for a good story. I titled a later draft Quest Schmest, as above. The current rewrite goes under the working title Vanda’s Quest.

Two ideas sparked the original story that dates back (as far as I can determine) to 2005. The teenage female protagonist uses brains in place of brawn on the quest for a magical object. And, no one asks the horses if they want to go on a quest. The earliest drafts included commentary by an opinionated chestnut mare. Then I eliminated the anthropomorphic passages in later drafts. Now I’m undecided about using the red mare Frantiska’s observations. But doesn’t every “owner” of a dog, cat, or horse wonder what they’re really thinking?

Anyway, before Brave came out in 2012, I had the idea of a Princess who disrupts every marriage contract her father attempts to negotiate. Meanwhile, the realms of my fantasy continent are threatened by an enchanter set on restoring the powers of a magical talisman that will allow him to return magical rule over the lands. When a quest is declared to locate and destroy the talisman while the enchanter is absent, the protagonist’s frustrated father declares the successful quester will win her hand in marriage. So of course, to prevent such a tragedy the protagonist decides she must be the successful quester. Adventure ensues.

So here I am bouncing back and forth between two earlier versions of the novel trying to salvage the best passages from both as I rework the novel using Save the Cat! Writes a Novel as a structural guide.

ACK! As Bill the Cat would say.

So far so good. I’m close to the daily word count to reach 50,000 words by November 30. I’m much better prepared this time than the last time I attempted NANOWRIMO. That effort was more of a pantser attempt and proved that I am most definitely a plantser (a hybrid of planning and pantsing).

This time I did a little more delving into the main characters, brainstormed how my characters and settings will fit into the original story of Treasure Island, and captured the better ideas in a narrative that filled in backstory and current story.

Of course, despite all my pre-writing preparations I discover things I need to know as writing progresses. Since my version of the adventure story is set in 1834-1835, there are historical limitations. I discovered I needed to know how Christmas was celebrated in England at that time. Most of the traditions we take for granted stem from Victoria’s reign. But my time frame falls between Regency and Victorian social customs. Ack!

Researching for details to insert in the story diverted me from actual writing. So far, I’ve been able to catch up my word count to remain within reach of the goal. I’d feel better if I could get a little bit ahead, but I’m happy not to fall despairingly behind.

Anyway…the challenge is proving interesting and more of a marathon than I was expecting in the time of COVID-19 social distancing.

My NANOWRIMO project is set in 1834-1835 England and beyond. I’ve already done some research, but I’m doing more this month in hopes of preventing major errors. Per usual, pre-writing research provides story ideas and inspires scenes. It can also create problems.

I had my opening scene in mind until I discovered social norms of the period would affect my protagonist and possibly restrict her actions. Additional investigation into the particular topic somewhat assuaged my concerns but still made me wonder if I needed to open the story at a different point.

Argh!

So while I continue my period research I’ve been mulling over a different opening scene. I considered switching the location of two scenes. Moving a later scene to the front and delaying my original opening scene. Mmmm, might work.

But as I was falling asleep last night I decided to stick with my original opening scene. I can probably make the social norms work and maybe fudge a little. What the social doyennes don’t know won’t affect my protagonist. Whew! That dilemma solved.

Meanwhile, when exactly was the leaping horn added to ladies’ sidesaddles?!

So fortunate that we only had to deal with hazardous smoke. Firefighting efforts are ongoing in Oregon and the other western states so I’ve made modest donations to local United Way chapters and Sound Equine Options for their efforts to aid those who’ve lost their homes in the fires and for taking in evacuated horses and livestock.
My entire county was covered by evacuation orders. Per the map, my suburban town was Level 1 (get ready), but on Thursday September 10 I got an emergency alert that we were at Level 2 (get set). I also got word that our horses were being evacuated (a major undertaking and thus the precaution to move 40-some horses before conditions worsened).
I frantically grabbed my existing bug out kits, gathered valuables, packed clothes, made sure I had the dog’s prescription food and meds, etc. This included packing up my Mac (I always keep the box if I have storage room) and laptop, plus materials for current projects. In anxious anticipation of a Level 3 (GO!) alert, I didn’t access the items already in the car or ready to toss in. So — no writing.
As it turned out, the Level 2 alert was regional and my home remained at Level 1. However, wildfires should always be taken seriously so I left everything ready for quick departure.
Both the horse and I are now back in our abodes. Changes in the weather aided firefighting efforts and the danger zones are gradually diminishing. More rain is coming our way, which should further help firefighters. The air has cleared so the dog and I can resume our walks. Since the horses were exposed to the smoke for so many days we’re keeping an eye on them, and the eventers will be gradually reintroduced to work.
I’m also back to work on “Emissary.” Catching up to where I last left off. In another week or so I’ll set it aside to prep for NANOWRIMO.
But I try to remain mindful of those who suffered in the fire and the men and women fighting the flames to exhaustion.

I signed up for NANOWRIMO 2020. What a “perfect year” to hole up for a month to write a novel. And it’s a way to legitimize the diversion for my shiny new idea.

My original thought for Lady Tedey was a YA steampunk novel about a young woman who is a baroness in her own right. My vision was to have her travel to Timbuktu, and I have research and story ideas to that effect. As Lady Tedey and her world evolved in my thoughts, she acquired prescience, the ability to see snippets of the future — but only minutes in advance of actual events. Just enough for her to slip out of the drawing room before an unwanted beau arrives. Then I gave her the same birth date as Princess Victoria: May 24, 1819. More research, and I decided to include Tedey in an actual incident that happened to Victoria and her mother, the Duchess of Kent. Then Lady Tedey was supplanted by a shiny new idea and placed on a back burner.

💡

I don’t know where this one came from, but I came up with the idea of “Treasure Island” with a female protagonist. So I reread the story and as I was mulling over how to approach it, Lady Tedey raised her hand. I went back to my preliminary work for Tedey and discovered it might work. A little more research and adjusting the cast — and Lady Tedey was sailing for the Caribbean to locate a pirate treasure.

I want to do a little more research on the time period for a modicum of accuracy, but otherwise I have a cast, settings, and major plot points (with thanks to R. L. Stevenson). Enough to launch into a 50,000 word novel on November 1.

Meanwhile, back at my Mac, I returned to “Ma’rama, Emperor’s Emissary.” I’ve been editing the existing pages to get back into the story before heading off into my stack of scene cards.

 

I’m still off on my story tangent. My original lightbulb moment was to tackle a classic adventure story for young readers by changing the main character to a girl. At the time the original classic was written, girls certainly did not participate in dangerous adventures. Things have changed considerably since then.

I sorted through my collection of story ideas and partial novels to see if any of them could be adapted to this new project. Why begin anew if I’ve already done some world building and character research and development? At first I rejected all. Then I took a second look at a story I’d imagined as a Steampunk tale. It was set nearly 100 years after the inspirational classic novel, and involves the protagonist in an actual historical incident. However, it had promise. The Steampunk story as imagined included some adventurous travels and exotic settings. Do does the classic story. Hmmm.

So I decided to see if I could fit the characters and setting from the Steampunk concept into my Shiny New Story. I went back and forth between using the historical setting or placing it in one of my fantasy worlds. I finally settled on the historical setting. Which of course required some additional research on top of the prep work I’d already done a few years ago. I had hoped to place the Shiny New Story in a setting very unlike that of the classic story. But as I tried to figure out how to insert my female protagonist into the boy’s adventure tale, the original premise took over. There will be a slight twist in my rendering, but I think I have the basics figured out. The back story set up, how my protagonist becomes involved in the adventure, and how I might adapt the plot of the original classic story for my novel.

Once again the fantasy element is “light.” No wizards or dragons or powerful demon antagonist seeking world domination. But my protagonist does have a magical gift that she calls an “affliction.” She is prescient. She can see future events. The problem is, she has no control over when prescience occurs, or how far into the future she will see. Often her knowledge occurs a minute or less before the foreseen incident occurs. Sometimes the prescience takes place several minutes ahead of the revealed event. The protagonist’s fingers tingle and then go numb, causing her to fumble with objects. She loses all sense of color and sees the upcoming events in gray or sepia tones. To an observer, the protagonist appears to be gazing distractedly into the distance during a daydream.

As for the antagonist, I’ve once again exchanged a man for a woman. This became necessary given the switch in protagonist and the social limitations of the historical period. The change allows relationships to parallel the classic adventure story. The antagonists in both the original and Shiny New Story simply want the same item the protagonist is seeking. The antagonist has no magical powers, but does have an extraordinary ability to manipulate others into trusting her. She freely implements this gift in her pursuit of the MacGuffin.

So my diversion has turned into full fledged novel development. The question remains, will I immediately pursue a first draft of my adaptation? Or will I complete the prep work and set aside the actual writing until NaNoWriMo? I have no idea.

But for now, the Shiny New Story still retains my interest and attention.

I’m 50+ pages into the first draft of Marama, Emperor’s Emissary, the second book of my imaged duology — and now I’m off on a tangent.

A shiny new idea struck me a month or two ago and as hard as I tried to keep it on the back burner — it pushed to the forefront. So I gave in and started exploratory reading and note taking.

For whatever reason a classic boy’s adventure story came to mind and I thought: what if the protagonist was a girl instead of a boy? Not an exact reworking of the classic tale, but using the main plot points and character roles for a YA fantasy/adventure featuring a young adult female.

I reread the original classic novel and did a Google search that provided some helpful plot summaries and character analyses. I’m scribbling my thoughts about the key plot points and the contributions of the main characters to the plot. I went back through some of my older story ideas to see if any of them might be adapted to the new story concept (without much success).

As the classic boy’s tale is a quest for valuables, an adult classic that is also a quest for priceless items came to mind. I’ve only seen the hokey Hollywood version of this book and I’m now reading it for the first time. I’m hoping it will inspire a setting for my novel as well as additional challenges for my protagonist. Interestingly —  neither of these adventure classics written in the 19th century have any female characters of significance. Hmmm.

I will go back to Mara’s story. This tangent could end up as a NaNoWriMo 2020 project. We’ll see.

But I am such a Gemini! So easily distracted by shiny new ideas.