I’m a plotter. Writing mysteries means
that I need to know how my character is going to cross obstacles, find clues
and get to the bottom of things, alive, and in one piece by the end of the
story. Many times, during revision, after I’ve read or re-written a scene a
creeper of doubt will start to grow. ‘Does this sound plausible?’ doubt will
ask me. ‘Is it believable?’ it will nag at me. My first reaction is to dig up
that creeper and chuck it as far away from me as possible. ‘Think positive’ I
tell myself. Don’t second guess yourself. Doubt isn’t going to help you finish
the story.
My second reaction is different. I wait.
For that creeper to re-grow. It usually does. This time I don’t run away from
that feeling of doubt. I look at it. While it grows I examine it. After the
examination, I pat myself on the back. ‘I’ve faced doubt,’ I tell myself. ‘Now,
time to move on to the next scene.’
But it doesn’t end there. If there is
every even a niggling thought in the corner of my mind ‘does my character stay
true to herself?’ ‘does the scene ring true to the story arc?’ ‘would someone
really use feng shui to increase luck
in her life?’ that creeper of doubt will return and re-grow until I face it
square in the face and do a re-write.
Doubt keeps our compass pointing true.
It allows us to move from one point of view to another and view the facts with
truth. It’s uncomfortable! It’s painful! Doubt isn’t an easy emotion to allow
yourself to feel, especially, when you’re trying to keep positive through a
revision. Doubt, I’m constantly afraid, can lead me to a dead standstill. I may
get the ‘I’m no good! Why am I even trying to write this story!? Let me pick
another story’ feelings. But when I do allow doubt to linger, when I look at it
without negative connotations and allow it to swim steady in my head I start to
pick apart the various pieces in my scene. I examine each bit like a true Nancy
Drew –clearly and without judgment. It gets me energized to re-think the scene
from a different angle, to ask the what-if questions and then think up answers
to write a stronger, better scene.
What do you think? Do you say ‘hello’
to doubt or ask it to take a hike?
