Keeping it all in mind---when you mind is weird

I had a friend say to me a while back, "I don't see how you do it. How do you keep it all in your head? How do you come up with a whole book. The talking. The plot. All the details."

Well, this week was one when I wondered that myself.
How do I...or shall I say, How do WE do it? How do we keep all those DETAILS flowing. Remember them all. Twist and turn a plot out that makes sense. Characters chattering all the time. Interacting.

I came through some heavy revisions this last month. And I love this. I have this as my goal, to finish book one, and book two, and get a good solid start on book three before book one is in stone.

So I've just finished what Bethany House calls Designed Pages. That is the final chance at revisions. The book is all laid out. If you want to make changes they need to be very minor. Like catching that I typed Seth when I meant Ethan. Or book when I meant boot.

Little stuff, but still, there is time to fool with it.

I turned that in May 1.

And I'm finished with book 2, and spent the last two weeks reading and revising it with the details off book #1 firmly in mind. I already had about ten thousands words done on book #3 before I had to drop it and do the designed pages, then pull any threads I've found through book #2, and now I'm back to book #3.

But I was revising those already done about a month ago, 10,000 words of book #3 and came to the mention of the bad guys, caught at the end of book #2 (there are more bad guys, never fear!) and that they'd hang for murder.

Reading that line, I started trying to remember who exactly they murdered.

It's like this weird little WORM wriggling around in my head. It does seem like they murdered someone, but I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER WHO!

Three people got shot...no four. But anyway, they're fine. One person got attacked in one early scene then three more people got attacked later.

But no murders.

That I can remember.

So now what?

I'm tired just typing this.

Anyway they were also cattle rustlers who are all the way for sure guilty of that, so I can hang them.

But that line bothered me. And it got me thinking about all the DETAILS. I know I struggle sometimes with hair color and eye color. Not usually for the heros and heroines. But minor characters, what was his last name? Did I ever give him a last name?

What kind of horse does she ride? Does she have a favorite? Does she had a bunch of horses and switches off?

sigh

I've tried excel spread sheets. The trouble with that is, sometimes I change something in the book, but forget to change it in the spread sheet. Then later I can't remember what I changed it too and go to the spread sheet...and seem to remember I can no longer trust the spread sheet.

See, for a person who is lining up a really VAST string of details, I'm kinda a dork. Pretty disorganized.

Which brings me back to "How do I do it?"

It just seems to come down to, I love it. I just love writing. It's an odd way to behave. Sitting alone for so much of your life. Imaginary friends to an exponential degree.

A form a madness really.

But I love it.
Does writing give you joy? Do you laugh and cry at your own work? Do you ever go back to re-read or revise and think, "Hey, I wrote that. It's pretty good?"

At the same time does it make you anxious? Make you feel like a failure? Do you spend time during every SINGLE STINKING BOOK THINKING 'I CAN'T WRITE! WHAT AM I DOING THIS FOR?'

Tell me how writing makes you feel.

I've got Tried and True on sale for 99 cents. Go grab a copy on Kindle or Nook. I love that book. I might go read it again just to remind myself I CAN DO THIS!!!

http://www.maryconnealy.com