So since we're on the final month before NaNoWriMo, I figured maybe I need to start working out the details, or some of them, of my book. Some people write with no structure, some people write with every detail planned in advance, and I am somewhere in the middle. I have to plan enough that when I get to the difficult to write scenes, I know where I'm going with it, where I need to get to, and this lets me push through to the next important part. With no structure, or not enough structure, I get to this point and either go way off track, changing the entire direction of my book, or give up, because I can't figure out how to get where I want my book to end up.
But, on the flipside, I don't stick to a plan religiously. My outlines usually involve a four or five word heading summing up each chapter or so, with fifteen or so chapters per novel. Within each heading are two or three one or two word bullet points reminding me what to include within that subject. But while I'm writing, I'll usually think of more things to put in and include those, and also realize that some things no longer work or make sense, and leave those out. I also rewrite the outline while I'm working on the book, adding things in later in the book that I'll need to put in based on what I'm currently writing.
This novel is somewhat of a new challenge for me in a couple of ways. This will be my third novel over all and about my four-billionth story, so I have some precedence to work on. But this will be my first time writing a first person story from the perspective of a man. Also, when I'm coming up with ideas for books, I generally come up with some details, or specific story ideas that I want to include and then build a book around it. With this one, I came up with a very general idea, and and working on the specifics at the moment, which is somewhat backwards from my usual. So it is somewhat difficult for me, but also exciting.
I'm also working on creating some very dynamic characters for this story, since I think character sympathy is going to be very important for the movement of the story. Characters are always my weak point and I find it hard to avoid stereotypes when creating characters.
Another challenge/opportunity that I'm taking is that I'm creating this book as though the basis for the story was a national/international story, well known, and now the main person involved is writing the book from his perspective. So that's a bit different from just a regular novel. But I'm excited and am trying to work out some of the middle filler to get me from A to B. I'll keep you posted!
And the poor girl was abused as a child and she's a little bold and outspoken which can get her into trouble and I kind of just feel sorry for her. I almost like her better than my protagonist, who is sweet and is going to get herself some gumption by the end of the book (finally!) but in the mean time she's kind of boring. Alright, what's a girl to do? How do I make my protagonist more likable than my antagonist. I'm worried if I feel this way, everyone else will too. 
