Slow Beginnings

*Deep breath* I’m currently working on two large writing projects, while also having a plethora of ideas for other, smaller writing projects. I’m using notebooks and pens. Ideas come in short bursts. Which leaves time for other things. Like another project in a different area.

Both novels have been with me since my youth. I have always loved Beauty and the Beast. Every single version I found gave me a deeper appreciation for the story. One of these days I might even write a whole essay about the layers of this tale and the ties to different cultures and eras. I digress.

Since I first began enjoying this particular fairy tale at a very young age, I always wanted a longer version of it. I must admit I have not yet made it through the original tale, but I have read about the original. And the many retellings. I have a couple picture books, I’ve seen stage productions, film renditions, read many variations from different cultures, and I always wanted to expand on their relationship. I saw them allowing each other to be themselves and learning to trust each other where loved ones had failed them before. It’s about owning your mistakes and letting someone see the ugliest parts of you and still finding a person deserving of love. Here I go again.

Now that I’ve sat down to give it attention I’m finding myself doing more research than I had anticipated. Which is fine with me. I’ve got some bigger concepts for the story now, so into French history I go. Then some around the globe history wherever this tale took hold and blend some of those ideas in. This may take a long time.

The other novel came to me on an overseas trip in high school. I turned it into a short story and left it there. I’ve thought about it a lot over the years, but haven’t ever given it much attention. Now it comes to me in short scenes and concepts that don’t really translate to storytelling, but are needed to tell the tale. This love story has turned into an epic journey of self discovery and many different types of love relationships (as in it’s not all about romance). It’s a big ol’ sticky web and I’m just putting pen to paper when I can. “Just keep writing. I can fix it later.” Is my ongoing mantra at the moment.

I’m trying to make myself work a little almost every day, so I’m getting somewhere with all of it. Maybe by the time the next school year begins in the Fall I’ll be ready to start piecing it all together into two coherent stories. Yes, the kids are still in school, but it’s the last chaotic stretch and I’ve only just begun collecting material. Plus that other project. And there’s that other idea…