Like a Real Writer

I felt like a real writer today.  I was working, so I went out to lunch late, and took my notebook with me, jotting down notes about where the Ben Parks story I'm slowly constructing was going to go.  Then I went over to the mall to see if I could find a blouse for my mom (I found two I liked but, shamefully, did not know her size, so I texted her and waited.  No response), then I suddenly got an idea of how I wanted to end the story, so I left the mall and hit the library.

I sat down at my usual cubicle there, and fired up ye olde MS Word programme.  I started typing, only pausing to waste time on the internet to look on Wikipedia to see what caliber shell a Colt Peacemaker fired.  Then, I went back to writing my story.

Basically, this is a "Sidekick Chronicles" tale that takes place when Ben Parks is twelve years old (he is eleven in "Birth" and "Journey," and seven in the still-unpublished Christmas prequel).  The piece I wrote last year was a short story, and I figured this one would be too, but after today, I'm afraid this is going to be a novella like the other two.

It's supposed to be a simple tale--and it is, technically--but it's just gotten too out of hand, and the work I did on it today (around 2000 words*) showed me that, once it's said and done, it should be around thirteen to fifteen thousand words.  Maybe longer.

I have bemoaned the fact that I just haven't felt like writing in 2018, and have had to force myself to do it nearly every night for a month.  But today, well, I really hit my stride.  I was feeling it, typing away like a madwoman, and totally enjoying it, to the point where the library announcement went off that they were about to close (I've complained before that they close obnoxiously early on Saturdays, but wow, today really snuck up on me), I would've been happy to go another half hour or more.

I didn't quite reach the end, but I came close enough that, if I had come home and continued to write, all I needed was the final scene and the coda, and I'd have been able to type those two sweetest words in the English language.**

Now, that doesn't mean that it's finished, or even close to the point of sharing (I need to go back and fill in a space I skipped, wherein Ben goes to a little town and tries to speak Spanish to the Mexican villagers), but it was enough Real Writing (or at least as close as I'm capable) today that I feel pretty good about myself.  We'll see how long that lasts.

Also, last weekend, I took a photo of my nephew with one of my dad's old cowboy hats and a gigantic muzzle-loader rifle that I figured would make a good cover for one or more of these stories.  I'll post it here:

He was wearing a garishly-modern blue shirt (and neon sandals), so I did my best to drain the color out of them in this version of the picture.  Another reason to be proud of myself.

I'm also seriously considering running "A Sidekick's Journey"in three parts this summer, so I can talk about this, and the other two story ideas I haven't written during those episodes.  Let me know if you think that's a good idea.

Rish Outfield, Real Writer

*According to my copy of Word, it was actually 2972 words.

**Yes, yes, behind "horny cheerleader."  Thanks for reminding me.