It’s Thursday again! Oh, my goodness, I just realized that both my book and B90 track the weeks by Thursdays. LOL! Art imitates life? Though the Thursday Quest sessions in the story started long before I started B90.
Anyway, this week has been crazy busy, but I’ve managed to get writing in each day. Not as much as I would have liked, of course, but at least an hour or so. Last night I even used a quick 40-minute period when I was waiting to pick up the kids. I was proud of myself for that.
I had set the goal of writing a story week per real life week, but that didn’t quite happen. Last night I started the chapter that starts their 8th Thursday. But I really like where the story is going and the connections that have happened without me even trying. Which, to be fair, I’ve realized that when I try is when it gets messy. Or messier.
I didn’t realize this was going to end up being a coming-of-age story for a 32-year-old. I thought it was simply a story about a woman’s journey to overcome social anxiety. But it’s become much deeper than that. And the friendships that have developed were another surprise. At one point I didn’t know who (or if) the love interest would be, but that revealed itself very clearly this week.
This week’s B90 assignment was to journal about trust. Do I trust my writing? I’m not sure if that’s the right way to put it, really. Occasionally I have my doubts, of course. But when I allow myself to trust the characters, rather than myself, it just seems to flow. I see it less as trust in my writing and more trusting the story and them. Because, frankly, the writing is crap right now. But the story? I’m loving the story that’s unfolding.
This story has turned out to be one that I would love to read. Sure, there are elements of myself in the characters. I don’t know how there couldn’t be. But I’ve always been drawn to books that had complex characters and relationships to draw me in. I just finished a book (one in a series) that did just that. Even though they were an actress and an ad exec, POC, and thought nothing of hopping on a plane to spend a Wednesday together, I could relate to their anxieties and struggle to find themselves and what they really wanted. And I really appreciated the author addressing mental health and that it is an on-going journey.
I’m hoping that will shine through in my story as well. Or rather, in Alanna’s story. I don’t feel like I can call it “mine” when I have no idea where the story will go and I’m discovering it as it flows from my fingers to the keyboard. And just like when I’m reading a book, I look forward to reading the next chapter, so I know what happens.
And now it’s time to find out! Off to write!
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