Sh-h-h. Quiet. I’m Thinking – December 1, 2021

Graphix: spwilcen

I know what I need to dress-up and get posted today.  Problem is, two of my protagonists and I are in the middle of a heated discussion over a change in plot.¹

If you’ve sadly followed my drivel for any time, you know much of my dialogue² develops when I place two or more characters in a situation, scribble a few lines in the way of penciling-in conflict or threat of humor, then let those characters take over.   

A student of psychology, an observer of people, I’ve much experience to draw upon, to reinforce characterizations.  As you’d imagine, working this way is not without surprises.  Yes, sometimes my misanthropy and (many scream) my misogyny come to the fore.   I’d caution (the screamers) to look carefully.  There is as much time spent in self-denigration and (often not so) subtle criticism of menfolk as there is maligning the stronger sex.  Gender?  (Oh hell. I’ll wait until I give microswooft a shot at this and see what “inclusionary” term I should use here.)

If we cannot nicely argue this out, come to terms with this plot change – suggested by two minor characters, no less – once again completion of more than one running story may suffer undue delay.  That would get in the way of the obligatory, lugubrious vignette required as the Christmas and New Year’s holidays close in on us.

If that doesn’t suggest some sarcasm in the offing, I dunno what does.

It’s either that or go into a mini-rant over the morning commute drivers I had to put up with before sitting down to resume work on my fingertip callouses today.

Buckle-up.  It could be a bumpy ride.

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¹ Two against one. Suggests the gravity of the situation. When two characters pitch a change, that signals genuine basis in reality. Wait! This is fiction. Well, I’m still out-classed. No, damnit. I’m in charge here.

2 Seeps from dialogue into plot too, but that cannot be helped. Occasionally a sidebar is necessary when dialogue might not be clear, especially to international (or sophisticated) readers. I try to avoid that, working a little harder on dialogue but it is sometimes unavoidable. What can I say? I’m a rookie.