Hesitant Steps

I've mentioned before that I strongly prefer to write from the top of my head over writing from an outline. The planning, which is welcome to some writers, stifles me. I'm having that problem again.

When I started writing Echoes, I knew only that the book would be about a new American Muslim named Joshua Adams and his relationship with his mother. I started from that very minimal perspective and wrote my story, encountering many surprises along the way.

Before starting Rebounding, I knew I would be including certain changes in Joshua's life--and the lives of those around him. But, for the most part, I plunged in.

In Turbulence, I knew what the central theme would be--which I won't discuss right now because I don't want to give anything away. I had one or two events in my mind. The others popped up on their own.

When writing Ripples, I felt more constricted. I needed to bridge the books while giving voices to different characters. As I mentioned, Isaiah gave me a very hard time. Kyle and Jennifer were much more cooperative. In fact, I wrote a wholly different novel while trying to define Isaiah. I may pursue that story line in another book one day.

Silence is the hardest of my Echoes Series books. I know of two major events in the book. Events which dramatically affect the other characters. But I'm struggling to express myself with everything in between. It will take me a few days or weeks to become comfortable enough. Once I am, I will write day and night until the story is written. But I'm not there yet.

So far I'm taking hesitant steps with this story. I write a little, then break to eat something or check my email. I haven't written at all yet today. I'll start in a little while, insha Allah. I will probably write only a page or two. It will take time for me to build up steam. To get to the point where I'm thinking about the story even when I shouldn't--like when I'm praying (astagfirullah).

Sometimes my writing gushes and I can't type fast enough. Sometimes I need to pull it out, gently, gradually. But I never give up. The story is there. My job is to discover it.