Struggling

I think talking about word count jinxed me. As of late, I'm struggling to make my word count.

I'm working on book 2 of the series I'm in love with right now, but I keep hitting aspects that make me question where I'm going. don't get me wrong, I have a good idea of the overall plot and the part that some of the players play, but there are points when I struggle to understand why a character did something. Why would THIS character say that? What is the purpose of having that conversation? Is this filler? Who or what is my character turning into and am I okay with that?

I've always felt that, as an author, we are just along for the ride with the main character. They do and we write it. Sometimes though, I wonder if I like the direction of the growth of my character. It isn't just that they're maturing (and as a mom, I can totally see some of my struggle akin to not wanting to let go), but it is that the choices they make are not always what I expect them to be.

So, what's the purpose of all of this? Well, this blog is, and always has been, a spot for me to clear my head. I'm trying to push out the things that are getting in the way of my writing and come up with solutions to the problems I see. I write this blog because I need to clear my mental cache. Granted, I also don't want to tell anyone everything about my story, so that makes some of what I write, vague.

Okay, to work this out: What kind of character do I want Maggy to be? What do I hope she'll achieve? How do the characters around her either help or hinder that? how is she affecting their change?

Hmm. I think I see one of the problems and I'll have to go back, breaking one of my own rules about continuing no matter what. I may have to write some side dialogue or side story to help me answer some of these questions.

Thanks! That was helpful. Remember, if I can ever help you with your writing issues, please comment and I'll respond. Sometimes we need a voice other than our own to help us figure out where we're going next.