Finally... Just looking at this screen and putting the words together is serving as a reminder that I should have created this blog for Wrinkles Wallace long ago.
Today was the first day that I started to complete my fourth book in the Wrinkles Wallace series. The working title of the book is Wrinkles Wallace: Rights of Writers. WWROW will be the fifth children’s chapter book that I have completed. My goal is to have it be the fourth one I finish this year.
Finishing four books in a year is no easy feat. If it weren’t for years of procrastinating after starting four different books, I wouldn’t be where I am today… In the past I would start a book and write 9, 15, 17, or 55 pages and then walk away from the book knowing I could always come back. Fortunately, in April of 2011, I was given an opportunity to participate in the Eastern Michigan Writing Project. Since our first meeting, I have been in a writing zone that has truly amazed me. I hope I am able to continue this sort of productivity.
I woke up this morning and started listening to Goapele’s Closer instrumental. The sound of the groove and the lyrics, “Closer to my dreams” kept echoing through my head. Those lyrics mixed and mingled with my thoughts on the 9 pages I had previously written in WWROW. I was trying to figure out how to bridge the third book in the series with this book. In the back of my mind I knew I also had figure out how to tie this book into the book that follows it because that book has already been written. Going out of order can be complex, but it also allowed me to have writing goals and directions.
In the past I would have sat down with a composition book and my black Pilot Extra Fine V Ball Grip pen (aka, my sword) and wrote the first thing that came to mind. I would then transfer those pages to a Word document and make revisions as I typed. Recently, I started thinking more about where I wanted my stories to go and how I could get them there. This thinking serves as my prewriting.
After letting the music and thoughts simmer while reading emails, watching ESPN, and doing some things around the house, I was finally ready to sit down and have some lunch. Seriously, I had no intentions of writing on an empty stomach. After eating leftovers from my informal celebration for finishing a book early Sunday morning, I was ready to get started.
Did I get started?
Nope.
I watched the UFC's Dana White talk about how he built that company up from the brink bankruptcy. That was the last bit of motivation I needed to get started on bringing WWROW from nearly nothing to something.
At about 1:55pm I sat at the kitchen table, grabbed my 12 x 18 pad of white drawing paper, and flipped to an empty page. I wrote the title of the book at the top, the date, and started to write short statements about what the 9 previous pages.
Then I wrote about goals for the characters in the book. I really want to get Grandma Wilbur more involved in this book After all that went on in the previous book I think she needs a bigger role in WWROW. I also want Mr. Quiet and Wrinkles to team up to a little more.
Next I listed themes I wanted my readers to get out of the book. I want my readers to laugh and get messages of trying, losing, and winning. Teamwork will also be a major part of this book. I am sure there will be other themes as I write more.
Then I put the sword down and started typing at 2:05pm. For me, the first page is always the hardest. There needs to be something that my reader can relate to right away. I want them to have a laugh before they flip that first page or I think they’ll put my book down and grab another. I also want them to be able to relate to something that they may have dealt with or heard about before. If I can do that then I think I have a good chance of hooking my reader.
At 4:20pm I saved the six pages I was able to create and met my son at the door. I managed to get chapters The Telephone, The Yesterday, and half of The Breakfast written.
Time to put on the Daddy hat.
Steady!
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