Researching: Setting and Plot

I'm still in the depths of two books about the setting I'm researching. The research has surprisingly spawned more foundational ideas on possible plot changes and developments. It has also spawned some day-dreams, which will ultimately help the tone of the story. I mean for the land to play a fairly heavy role in the story. Also, I went over some old free-writes on the story concept from early this year and sometime last year and found that I've circled back around with several ideas. It is a safe feeling to know that I've explored some ideas and am starting to drop tangents that won't add to, and may even clutter, the story.



My new mom-friend introduced me to another mother and said I was writing a book and it nearly knocked me down. "I'm just researching and doing a little writing," I said.



I walked out of my house today--Saturday--to go write at the local bistro. It was pretty nice and I think I will try escaping weekly if at all possible. I was edgy to get started with actual writing, partly since the pressure is mounting a little from people around me, but also to know that the words, any words, would come. I produced a very small free-write about a storm rolling in to my character's setting. The book I've been referencing, From First Draft to Finished Novel, suggested the next step is to outline every individual scene. (OMG!) Or, conversely, to start with the more simple outline I'm working towards, knowing that I will have less of the work done up front and may end up having more rework later. We'll see...there are good points to both methods and chances are I will combine the two.