Character Woes

Why is it that as I’m trying to finish Lady of the Snow, my characters from my last WiP keep demanding that I switch focus to them? 😛 Specifically little miss Naomi, who’s quite the demanding young lady.

No, she couldn’t be happy when I was actually working with her, trying to coax her–and the rest of her fellow friends–to tell their story. Naomi flatly refused to say anything, being the supremely stubborn and sometimes childish person that she is, telling me she was too tired of always having to be center stage. So, I let another story take root, giving Naomi and her story time to relax.

Apparently, she demands I start paying attention to her. Now. 😛

And my ever fearsome, ever volatile Miyuki/Yuki-onna, has seemingly disappeared. Perhaps she got tired during NaNo and decided to go rejuvenate by basking in the frigid air that has been Ohio weather the last few days.

Seriously, they all drive me insane. Either they won’t shut up and give me a moment’s peace, or they decide to just disappear without any warning. Where’s the happy medium, huh? That’s all I’m asking for! ARGH.

Such temperamental characters I have…why can’t they ever cooperate??

(BTW,  comments for my contest have been closed. I’ll announce the winner tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who participated!)

Trying to be Positive

Being optimistic about things is hard for me. Unfortunately I tend to be pessimistic and cynical by nature, although not nearly as much as I once was (thankfully!).

Anyway, I am trying my best to apply this to my writing. If I focus too much on the negative, it takes the desire away. And I don’t want that to happen!

Of course there are times when I may be too frustrated or upset about continuing my book. For example, the whole name change thing was highly discouraging, but I wanted desperately to fix it and focused on that. I believe I may have decided on Kaiyo’s new name: it will be Naomi. I think it’s a good representation of my character; not only was it a common enough name used in Victorian times, but I’ve also heard it’s a Japanese name as well. So what better name to choose for my character who is part of two cultures? It may not mean “forgiveness” like I wanted, but that’s ok; I believe the story is going in a slightly different direction.

Another frustrating moment came yesterday when I began thinking about the actual story catalyst. I couldn’t quite figure how to word a short blurb about it, and that made me think that there’s a great deal of re-focusing to do. I then decided to try and edit my chapter that’s up for critique soon (I need to have it posted by next Thursday) and I realized I pretty much have to write the entire chapter again. Not a big deal though; I’ve had to do that for the past three. Oh well; it was written during NaNo last year; I’m certain most are going to need to be re-done.

I’m not giving up though. I’ve invested too much time in this story to be deterred or to trunk it. I just have to keep the creative juices flowing and hope that it will all be cohesive at some point.

Bitter

That pretty much sums up my mood right now.

It seems like all the little insignificant things in life that aren’t panning through are building up inside me and just overall making me irritated.

I think the final straw was when my dad called and said that he and mom wouldn’t make it down to visit this weekend because of a predicted snowstorm. This of course comes after two weeks of above average temperatures and rain.

Of course it has to happen on the one day my parents planned to visit. ARGH. I hate Ohio weather.

That’s on top of the whole violin lesson thing…my teacher, who was absolutely amazing, is unable to continue teaching me and the others on Saturdays because of other things in life. I completely understand, but it would have to happen after I finally felt a little bit confident in my playing and after forming a friendship with the teacher. Now I get to start the whole awkward process of meeting a teacher again and wonder if she and I will click or clash.

And then there’s other myriad of things: commitments to church and family, which I love, but are just all adding up right now, and then my irritation at work.

ARGH. Can I go crawl under the bed covers now?

The End…?

So, I’m getting closer and closer to the end of my novel, yet I’m encountering a bit of writer’s block on how to end it. I am finding flaws in every possibility (too cliched and too unrealistic mainly). I know I should just let it simmer, but really, that’s all I’ve done for the past year 😛

Basically, it’s this–I’m trying to figure out how my MC is rescued/discovered (she’s been kidnapped by enemies of her father’s). And I’m at a complete loss.

I thought that maybe somehow someone from the house she’s staying at got the word out, but then the house would be monitored and guarded too well for that to happen. That is also a bit on the cliched side too.

Argh. My brain hurts thinking about it.

It’s so frustrating. I hate not knowing and not being able to figure it out! I know it will come to me at some point but it’s hard waiting and trying to find it.

As a writer, what do you do in situations like this? How do you calm yourself down and wait for that elusive Muse to enlighten you?