So, there I am, reading through Wish Hits the Fan, making edit notes with my red pen in my big spiral notebook, when I come across a :research this: note I left for myself in the manuscript.
Umm, yeah.
Usually not a big thing. I go, I research a little, and bada-bing-bada-boom, I have the answer.
Not this time.
I sat down at the computer and went through about a dozen sites to find what I was looking for - a mythical being endowed with certain specific characteristics that I was absolutely sure I remembered existing*. Nope. Then I dragged out my big book of mythical beings and started the slow search going page by page down the alphabetical listings. Nothing in the As. I thought I found something in the Bs, but not quite right. Sticky noted that and moved on.
This is kind of a crucial point here. Several things I've already written hinge on this particular bit of research.
So, last night I made a realization. If I don't find something that fits, I'm going to have to either make something up myself or cobble that other 'almost right' thing in until it does fit.
And as I was typing this post just now, I had an epiphany. Huzzah! I think I know exactly what I need to do. Bwa ha ha. :rubs hands together in evil fashion: Now I just need to give it a name, so Zeke can tell Jo what she's facing and then put the name elsewhere in the book where I've left little :no name thing: notes for myself.
I wrote the epiphany down, so I won't forget.
Anyway, I wasted about an hour or so last night researching this thing when I could've been making some progress on my edit notes. It was driving me a bit nuts. And then I went to bed and couldn't sleep because I was still thinking about it. Which is really irritating considering it just popped into my head this morning without too much urging.
Ain't that the way?
Ah, the writing life.
*I figured out why I thought I knew this thing existed. I'd read about something like it, but not it, in someone else's fiction and it was something the other writer had totally made up, so I can't really riff off of it.
I've read a couple of articles lately that state we should ruminate on problems before going to sleep and our subconscious will work on them and deliver us answers the next day. But it sounds like a prescription for insomnia to me! Glad you got your answer, even if you can't use it. :)
ReplyDeletePeople are actually out there suggesting this?? I do it almost every night, and let me tell ya, it is a prescription for insomnia.
DeleteThe answer dovetailed right in and works perfectly. =o)
I hate insomnia. Just sayin'... And last night was a good example. Ah well. I'm glad you finally figured out what your Big Bad is. And you can totally rip it off by changing name and tailoring to fit your needs. Plus, research based on what you remember. You might be surprised. I'm betting that other author based the critter on something else. *nods* Caveat: I am NOT suggesting plagiarism! But Stoker didn't invent Dracula and vampires. But he darn sure added and shaped. And every author since (including me!) has niggled around with the original Count from his book. No go figure it out. :)
ReplyDeleteYep, definite hatred there for me, too. I do fine once I get to sleep. It's getting to sleep that killing me lately.
DeleteNo need to rip anything or even borrow anything. The solution I came up with is perfect. Like I said, it dovetails in perfectly. I can't wait for you to read it.