My Muse Tells Me a Story

So, my muse is a genius. It's funny, but I don't feel like I can take credit for those little sparks of inspiration that just fit. Does anyone else have that problem?

Anyway, I've been avoiding writing the last 36 hours or so because I have no idea what's going to happen next (a common thing with this book, I'm finding). So I read the last paragraph or two and just write. One more sentence. One more sentence.

And I get to a point where I realize my heroine has to leave the castle. I didn't intend for that to happen, but she has to. She has to help someone.

So as she's running (or, as I'm typing her run), I'm going through all the different things that are going to change because she left. I'm going through all the things that can go wrong for her, all the plot twists that are possible now.

And the possibilities are endless.

This was definitely the right thing to do. It's like I'm reading this book, not writing it. The surprises unfold as I go. I looked back to see why these great things have been happening and my muse answered: because the book belongs to the character.

I haven't had the plot set in my mind like I usually do. I normally have several plot points in my head and then as I write, I just make sure to connect the dots. The problem with that is that my characters are more like puppets. The story is plot-driven.

But with this one, my character thinks things through as I think through them. And then she chooses what to do next. It's like I don't have a say in it. She wouldn't just leave someone to die, so she's leaving the castle to go help them. End of story.

I love this.