The Cog Heap

Sometimes I get the feeling that I'm some sort of under-programmed automaton.

Anybody else ever feel like that?

So, I'm slowly winning the battle with my writer's block. It's taking a lot of television, various visits to random fairs of interest, and tearful therapy sessions with my muse (she needs a leash and about five pints of Schnapps before she'll even listen to my demands, I swear). Ha, that makes me sound like some kind of BDSM alcoholic. Disclaimer: my muse is entirely a fickle creature of fiction and in no way shape or form reflects my personal sexual tendencies or drinking habits.

In all honesty, the best method I've come up with for combating my block is Writer's ADD. Tried and true, jumping from one project to the next -- often times scrapping what I've already written and starting anew (trust me, my characters are just as confused as I look) -- seems to be working. It's also spilling into my personal life. I've started like ten new television series (thank God for Hulu and NetFlix) and I'm in the middle of about five books. All I can say is: It's a good thing I'm happily married.

I'm cutting down on the audio books, listening instead to NPR and music while I'm at work. And I've decided to start reading things that wouldn't normally intrigue me enough to shell out the cash to purchase them. Lucky for me I recently attended a conference where I was generously showered with gifts. I came home with about 32 books, most of which are some kind of erotica.

So, I picked up the book full of paranormal gay erotica and I'm finding it quite enjoyable. Who would have guessed? And who knows, maybe I'll try my hand at it one of these days. Eh, who am I kidding? Everyone knows I've secretly written a steamy scene between every character of romantic interest for each of my books. Yes, all you Jeremy/Silver Rings/Amaya and Connor/Taylor/Lacey shippers, it does it exist! Even I can't deny the fanficer inside! And I utterly refuse to be judged.

Anywho, I'm still fighting the good fight, refusing to go down and all that. Still looking for an agent, but I feel really confident with everything that's been happening lately. So, fingers, toes, and other prehensile body parts crossed. On a breathtakingly good note, I finally finished plotting out the As-Yet-Unnamed-Steampunk. If I shoot for a low word count, I'm like 3/4 done.

But we all know I haven't even begun to tell the story! My issue is too much of the Free State and not enough Empire face time. If I'm going to sell this as a legit Steampunk, there has to be enough technological wonder. While the techno-babble I need for the Empire is continuing to elude me, I'm making headway on constructing the required scenes. Adelle's journey into the Free State allows for a lot of this. One airship trip to the intercontinental steam train and then an attack by Her Majesty's Fourth Air Raid Squadron should make it more interesting. It allows a couple spots for Neek and the other Seers to combat the Empire with the Suldal. It will probably be the highest action sequence in the book, so it has to be perfect.

Would you believe I spent 45 minutes last week just listening to YouTube clips of steam trains and steam engines? I think I finally have the noises and processes down. The airships are something entirely different. Sometimes I wish this book was in first person. It'd be so much easier to be all like, "I'm a spoiled princess that grew up in a social bubble, how would I know what that springy thing does?" I'm lucky that I'm at least working with one POV at a time.

Anyway, I should finish my descriptions for this poll so that I can get to working on said action sequence. I'm hoping to finish this manuscript within the next few weeks. Wish me luck!