I’m always on the lookout for new ideas, and as I am working on the latest round of revisions to my WIP, I have hit upon something that seems to be working well. I’m calling it a chapter journal, and so far, I feel like it is working very well.
The goal of the chapter journal is to focus my mind before embarking on each new chapter. I chat, free form, about what the characters are thinking and feeling, what they’re about to do and why. I do keep the bigger picture in mind, but each chapter journal entry tries to stick with the present of the story, because the characters do not know the future, even if I do.
One of the difficulties I’m finding, especially when revising (which is what I’m doing now), is staying in the present. Having a clear picture of the end is a good thing and a bad thing at the exact same time, because I can begin getting ahead of my characters in their thoughts and feelings.
Right now, in this chapter, my main character is grieving. It is the most important thing in her life right now, and it clouds everything else she does. Yes, she will need to stay strong and overcome some adversity in the near future, but that’s not what’s happening now.
I came up with this idea on my own, though I’m sure others have taken similar approaches. For me, it’s all about grounding myself before stepping into a moment.