re-energized

The best teachers help you reach your potential. I have one of those this semester. The thing about Debbie is that whenever we talk, whether it's in class or in her office hours I always walk away feeling energized and excited and impatient to get back home and start writing.

I spent hours yesterday evening trying to write a new outline for Ghost Tours. And it wasn't just pulling teeth, it was root canal. I was frustrated and unfocused and the more I worked on it the worse that got.

I walked into Debbie's office this afternoon and said, "I think I need a buck up little camper speech." And she said, "What?" because that was so not what she was expecting me to say. We just started talking about the story and the characters. She challenged me with "What's the coolest thing about the story right now? What do you like best?" I answered that my favorite part is early on when Sarah and the audience learn that Esther and Tim are real ghosts. It's visual. And you get that moment of everything I thought I knew was wrong. We talked and talked and talked and I left awash with ideas.

It will be a very different story that I turn in on Monday. Primarily it will be Sarah's story rather than Esther's. I'm ok with that. I can come back and do Esther's story at another time. The theme will be less about let go of your baggage and forgive yourself and more about open your eyes and pay attention. The world is an amazing place. I've done variations of that theme before (Memory Sticks) but you know I'll probably do variations of that theme again. It's one I feel strongly about. Just like the themes of Killer aren't that different from the themes of Passing. There are certain ideas that are important to me.

You may be thinking well stop with the blog then and get to it. Less talking about doing and more actual doing please. But I found myself thinking as much about Debbie and the conversation as I was about Sarah and the story so I thought this might help me get that out of my system. And I suppose I should be studying for my Masterworks final tomorrow morning, but you know what? However much I know right now is how much I know and I would much rather sink my mind into writing.