I've got a nice list of projects I want to work on in the order I plan to write them. I've finished a couple and sent them to my agent, and after some downtime to research and focus my thoughts a new direction, I was going to move on to the next one.
Only a funny thing happened. The hero and heroine from a different project came in and have taken over my thoughts. The characters from the project I want to work on next aren't talking. More than that, they've remained elusive, refusing to give me anything. And the h/h who should be sitting, quietly waiting their turn, won't shut up.
The conclusion I've come to is that I need to work on the h/h who are talking. Clearly, they're blocking the characters from my other project and aren't going to listen to me. So I'm in pre-book on the wrong story. Sigh.
I started researching a few things on Wednesday. I learned a few new things about my characters (like my heroine went to grad school at UCLA). I puzzled over a few plot problems, and although they remain unresolved, I'm hopeful that more mulling will solve them. And this still frustrates me. Why don't I get more control than this? Why do my characters get to choose what I work on next?
It's not like I can even choose to focus on the project I want to work on next when I can't keep it in my mind or get the h/h to talk to me. Asking them questions doesn't work. Thinking about their story doesn't last long before the other h/h take over. Trying to fine tune the world building doesn't help either.
So I've rearranged my plans. I'll work on this story, solve its issues, and maybe I can placate this h/h enough for them to fade and let the other project come to the forefront.
Or maybe not, but there's no point in spinning my wheels on characters that aren't ready to talk.
