Writing from the backseat: a tale of editing forever

[Written while writing the first draft of Sins of Our Fathers]

I’ve almost completely lost control, and it’s mostly Jeremy’s fault. My intentions for him as a character weren’t great, I’ll be honest. He wasn’t supposed to be compassionate in any way, wasn’t really even supposed to be likable. But when I introduced River to Jeremy, I developed a better understanding of Jeremy’s character, and he’s not the guy I thought he was.

This really happened because I didn’t outline. Many authors plan out their entire book before writing, which is a true reflection of their work ethic and brain function. Cheers to all you organized and highly ambitious people. Instead of being that kind of writer, I sort of just get in a car with my characters, toss one of them the keys, and sit back for the ride. Sometimes it’s smooth sailing with the windows down, the music up, and the sun warming our skin. Other times, there’s a near-fatal accident with the car bursting through the guard rail, rolling down a hill, and miraculously continuing down a totally different road.

And that makes sense since Jeremy is driving without a license while River navigates from the passenger seat without a working knowledge of the area. I’m doing the best I can to point us in the right direction, but sometimes Jeremy decides to take a detour and River just shrugs and lights another cigarette. What am I supposed to do, hijack the vehicle and pretend I know where I’m going?  

I certainly don’t. There is a vague idea, sure, but the characters do all the talking. I’m content being the afterthought, the one writing down what’s already been said. My writing is character-driven and examines the complexities of human relationships, so of course this sort of thing shifts with each character development. The key is to know the characters well enough to anticipate their words and actions, to understand their values and motives so completely that when they act out, I can decipher why.

Realistically, we as people are unpredictable. Think of all those crimes on the news, loved ones saying into a microphone, “I never knew he was capable of that.” By nature, we survive by habit; but nothing interesting ever happens when we stick to routine. Characters who act out have something to say. 

So I don’t mind being a passenger in this book. The backseat driver usually knows where they’re going, in the end anyway.