Vicki is joining RWA. Whee! I feel like a proud mama. Vicki and I chat about writing most weekdays (when we're not chatting about the Sims) critting and enocouraging and such. This fits in with what seems to be a really good writing week, at least this later part.

Yesterday, I was a writing machine. Career planning. Outlining. Note transcription, and the rescue of a scene I thought I was going to have to dump. Instead, I moved it to a different place, changed the focus, and it looks like it's going to stay. Another proud moment. Then I have a bunch of dialog-only pages between my hero and heroine that need to get some description along with them, and pieced together into an actual scene.

I've found lately that if I approach writing a novel like I would putting on a play, things seem to go easier. The dialog-only pages are like a table read. Get everyone around a table with the script, and read through it aloud. Doesn't have to have inflection, and the actors cast may not have worked together before, but we're not going for a production at the moment; just getting things out there. No pressure.

There's blocking; where are these people physically when they are saying these words. (Sometimes when I'm stuck I will draw a diagram of the physical location, marking who is where, and can/can't hear/see/smell what others in that locale are doing.) Costume -- what are they wearing, and how will it affect their movements or perceptions? Set design and props -- what things are there that they will use, sit on, climb over, etc?

I've noticed when I do the dialog-only stuff, after a while, I will start inserting stage directions and other notes. That's a sign that I'm ready to move into the next layer.

Of course it also doesn't hurt that I deny myself any form of the Sims (1 OR 2) until I've done my work for the day.