Mysterious Words

I’m writing a book. There I am typing furiously, I look down, and say “What the . . . ” Frankly, I wonder who’s been writing while I was in La La land. The story has taken an unexpected, unplanned twist. Something has happened on the page and I’m not sure where it came from.

This is one of the mysteries of being a writer. When you aren’t paying attention, one of the characters does something and you wonder if they’re the ones writing the story.

Yesterday I was trying to finish a chapter for reading at my Sisters In Crime meeting. This chapter has unruly characters that keep deviating from the plot. This time it was Maxie herself, who decided to see if her video camera was damaged by taking it outside and filming something. The camera fell when the curious Su Lin, also acting independently, toppled it from its tripod. So, without asking me, Maxie is outside with her camera looking for a flower or something of the sort to film, when she spies Charlie with his shirt off working in the garden. She has to use the telephoto lens to get it, but she starts filming the unknowing Charlie.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do with this piece of writing. One minute I had Maxie in her Aunt’s bedroom discovering the journals and the next minute there’s a scream and a crash and Su Lin is running for cover. This leads to Maxie filming Charlie’s fine form.

I didn’t intend any of this. Am I going to release some control and let it happen or am I going to use the delete key and send these words into delete heaven? (probably I’ll edit it a little and keep it)

Marilynne