Writing a book is the ultimate mind puzzle

After last night's writing session, it occured to me that writing a book is the ultimate mind puzzle, brain teaser, whatever you want to call the contortions the human gray matter has to go through to weave in subplots. It also is a reminder (as if I needed one) that writing is hard work -- incredibly fulfilling -- but hard work.

I'm writing Chapter 8 of The Trouble With Demons (an entire chapter of nothing but Raine and Tam). I'm buzzing along nicely, making progress, when I realize I think I may have missed a main character's cue to "get out of his trailer and come on the set." Piaras to be exact. Well, Piaras and another character who I can't name or refer to in any detail because it'd be a spoiler for Armed & Magical. Sorry, folks. So in the interest of avoiding a problem further on, today I'm going to stop writing Chapter 8 and ponder Piaras, determining when he's supposed to enter the story and make sure it weaves seamlessly into what I've already done. (Hopefully the seamless weaving will be possible without having to change what I've done because I really like what I've already done.)

Which brings up subplots. I'm being reminded that writing one scene beings up more questions. Questions that require setup, hints, clues to be carefully placed in the chapters that I've already written. Nothing like subplot to suck the life out of my writing schedule. It's time to go back and insert notes into my nice, clean copy. Add this, hint at that, set it up beforehand, so that when Raine figures out who is responsible for opening the hellgate and turning the demons loose on the Isle of Mid, that her conclusion doesn't come out of the blue. Clues have to be laid, bad guy motivations must be hinted at -- but the reader can't figure it out before Raine does. Sigh. Like I said, not easy. But there's nothing like getting everything untangled and on the page. Kind of like working that last knot out of a string of Christmas lights. Exhausting, exasperating, but intensely satisfying.

BTW -- As always, if you have any questions about the writing process, either email me at lisa@lisashearin.com, or respond with your question on today's blog. Don't be shy; that's what I'm here for. ; )