Where to Start

I'm back on The Long Road. Maybe I never really got off of it. Maybe I'll always be here. Maybe no one ever gets out.

But that's not why we're here. We're not aiming to get off the road, we're trying to get on it.

I've began this story twice. And both times, it began just before our heroes set out on their trip. And both times, I've had to slog through some boring shit to get them on the road and started on their adventure. I get caught in a dialogue trap, where everyone just talks and nothing happens. It's like… conversation quicksand.

It's one thing to have dialog that enhances what's going on, and propels the plot forward. But this… it's not that. Much as I like Tony's coffee story, it's not really contributing to the story as a whole.

So I've come to the conclusion that the story needs to start later. I'm not sure where, exactly, but somewhere between when they leave their ordinary college town and when they turn onto a road they shouldn't. Somewhere in there.

The danger here lies in potentially starting too late. You have to have room to show characters in the pre-adventure world, and have buildup to all the exciting stuff happening later. So I can't just start in the cornfield, because you'll have no reason to care about these characters. And you won't feel bad when I'm mean to them. And then what would be the point.

I need at least enough lead up to introduce these characters, to give you a sense of who they are. I need to let them do ordinary things. I need to at least hint at the sort of history these people have with each other.

I know, I've been going on about this damn story in some form or another for almost a year. I want to get this one right. I'm not ready to give up on it.

One thing I've considered, in terms of starting this thing, is to just start writing at some point in the beginning, and go with it. I can always chop off the first bit later. But I think maybe a meandering rough draft opening will help me explore the characters and figure out what I want to say. I get all the unnecessary crap out now, and decide what's important later.

Now if I could just sit down and write.

I'll see you next week.