Digging Out Beautiful Caves
“I dig out beautiful caves behind my characters; I think that gives exactly what I want; humanity, humor, depth. The idea is that the caves shall connect, & each comes to daylight at the present moment.”—Virginia Woolf, in her diary, 8/30/1923
Amazing to think that Virginia Woolf wrote these words one hundred years ago, in August 1923, and they still ring true for me in August 2023. This is exactly what I’m doing. Digging out caves at this early stage of my work-in-progress as I create and discover new characters.
I already know my protagonist quite well; it’s Josie’s daughter, Ellie, a singer-songwriter from my second novel Josie and Vic. I don’t consider this new work a sequel, more a companion novel, for it’s Ellie’s story, two decades later when she’s in her late thirties, with a whole new cast of characters.
At a pivotal crossroads in her life, Ellie sets out on a journey with a specific destination in mind; however, when she comes across the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustangs in Wyoming, she ends up taking a detour that will change her life.
I’m about fifty pages into the novel, but unlike my previous novels, this one is taking me on a unique creative journey. You could say my characters are taking the reins.
Generally, when I first begin writing, I have an idea where the story is going. I do not outline or fill in an elaborate plot diagram. I’ve always been more organic, letting the story unfold as I go. However, I do create character pages, with names, histories, dreams and disappointments. Using Woolf’s metaphor, I dig out character caves before I actually start writing.
But in this case, a few of my characters are coming to life and fleshing out as I write. In one instance, I met a character for the first time when Ellie did. The plot took an unexpected turn and this character appeared in a scene and began to talk. Another significant character that I had created, filled in important details of her life as she talked to Ellie, surprising me as I wrote. It’s exhilarating, like watching a movie and learning about the characters along the way.
Since I’ve always leaned toward organic writing, perhaps I’m more confident now with my third novel, trusting this process and letting my characters dig beautiful caves with me.
And when these caves connect and come to daylight while I’m writing, another Woolf quote comes to mind: “What a lark! What a plunge!”
Word Count: ~16,000
Deadline: Open. Taking my time with this one and enjoying the journey
Publisher and Pub date: Another mystery to unfold
Working Title: ELLIE
But I’m also leaning toward THE ONE THAT SINGS
Taken from the last line of a favorite poem:
The Real Work – Wendell Berry
It may be that when we no longer know what to do
we have come to our real work
and that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey.
The mind that is not baffled is not employed.
The impeded stream is the one that sings.
