Carried Away by Temptation

An unexpected block of free time yesterday meant I could finally sit down and work on the synopsis for Temptation, the yarn I've been asked to write for Morrigan Books' Scenes From the Second Storey.

I tend to write reasonably detailed synopses for my stories - I take the 'reliable road map' approach rather than the 'high-altitude overview' that some writers feel happier with. That's not to say I can't deviate from my intended route - now and again the process of writing will open up options for characters I hadn't spotted earlier on - I just like to have the security blanket of knowing where everything is before I start.

Even by my standards, though, this job came out extremely long - I got so swept up the story that I started typing, looked up and I'd written 2200 words. That's not so much a synopsis, more a bare-bones, frill-free first draft.

Still, the fact that I was so involved in the story bodes well, and when I was finished I had that energised feeling of a job well done. Days like that are what I write for.

That said, I'm still cautious - or cynical - enough to realise that even if I think it's the best short story ever penned, there are going to be problems with it. Yes, there will be huge holes in logic and structure I've missed in my euphoria - it's inevitable. So away it's gone to some trusted readers, who I've asked to kick the shit out of it (thanks to Rach, Paul and Amanda for agreeing to handle the brutalising). Most of the feedback is still to come, then - for now I'm going to enjoy the buzz.

Wheeeeeee!