11/18/2006 - I am going to continue updating these character studies, as well as start a running plotline. It would be nice if I could figure a way to make them appear as I do it, but I haven’t found that yet and am not planning on spending a lot of time trying right now. These notes and studies help me keep the story in my head, working on code won’t.

Though I am way off daily goals, this story is becoming what it is supposed to be. The original short had gaps in it that ultimately showed, and kept it from being a good short story. Too much was going on there. Also, I find that elements of my first novel fit better here than in it, probably the flaw that never let me do it right yet, though delineating it with this story might make Familiar Territory work. As the words and story begin to come to me, and after finding ways to write while going through the first days with a newborn, I believe I am going to make the goal of 50K by the end of the month, as well as have a complete, if rough, story.

As this story begins to form in my head, I am now looking for  ways to keep the ball rolling when I find myself at a gap in the storyline. I remember from some article that I read that I should do something like character studies of the peopleI am bringing into my story, to know them better and also keep track of them as I go on.

First Person Character – Ben – Spider

works at a factory, has little or no ties to anyone around, is going to AA meetings to keep himself sober because he believes he is too dangerous if he drinks. Eats regularly at the Around the clock restaurant where the waitresses refer to him, behind his back, as Spider, because of the way he overloads his coffee with sugar and then consumes it partially with the use of a spoon. And the fact that he seems very creepy to them. Dresses tackily but thinks he is smooth, has little world experience and some crazy secrets.

  • Kathryn – 7 yr old girl whose Mom is Trailer PArk Woman and lives in fear of the men her mother entertains in their trailer.
  • Christian Mayweather – waitress at around the clock, befriends Spider after he broaches the topic of seeing her at an A.A. meeting.
  • Trailer Park Woman -
  • Ruggie – Despicable low life friend of trailer parkwoman. Drugs her and his friend Wally with bad intentions.
  • Wally – Ruggie’s big dumb friend. Harmless except for his blind following of Ruggie, large in stature but soft minded.