As a rule, I’m not usually the chattiest guy in the cocktail party.
Wait, no, I take that back. I’ve never been to a cocktail party.
So, well, I’m not the chattiest guy at any party. In fact, at the middle school dance, lo, the many years ago, the odds of finding me with my back super-glued to the wall – or preferably one of those mats hanging on the walls at each end of the gym, because, HELLO, WAAAAY more comfortable to lean on than painted cinder block (especially for two hours) – were a fool’s bet. The room would have had to be on fire before I’d have considered separating myself from my chosen post.
And not just, like, a little on fire, either. It would have had to have been your basic Hellmouth kind of situation where a portal to the Underworld ruptured, spreading demons and launching brimstone among my Airheads-fueled schoolmates. Since I didn’t live in Sunnydale, that didn’t happen.
The point here is that, like many of the writers who’ve I’ve met since starting my word-fueled journey, I’m a deep-rooted introvert. Admittedly, somehow an introvert that’s still sort of attention-seeking, but an introvert nonetheless.
Of course, there are a lot of way to interpret that. For me, though, introversion feels like to not wanting to be on. That is, the spotlight is not for me.
The center of attention might as well be the End of the World.
In other words, I’m not always comfortable talking about myself or my life with people I don’t know like family.
When it comes to writing that goes double, especially when getting into details about my work(s) in progress. I have to follow an idea to completion, dot the I’s, cross the t’s, and weigh it in my mind before I want to talk about the ins and outs of the story or characters. Afterwards, I send it out with the proverbial shaking hands for beta readers to consume, assess, and comment on. Until then, I won’t even speak a project’s name in public. In fact, every new WIP I start working on gets a code name to keep it soft, cream-filled secrets hidden under a dark, billowy cloak.
Well, okay, so it’s partially the “secrets” and the “dark, billowy cloak” thing. Let’s be honest…my manuscripts aren’t exactly Nazgûl that need their identities to remain hidden until the approved time. Fact is, I also use project codenames because I’m a huge nerd and enjoy nerding things up as much as humanly possible. After all, writing is a hard enough business. I say we do what we can to squeeze some fun out of it whenever possible, even if means giving my work a silly code name. I mean, this is middle grade. If you can’t find a way to have some fun with that, you’d maybe be better off assessing tax schedules or insurance riders.
Oh, what’s that you said? You’d love to hear a few secret details about my current WIP? Since we’re super tight buddies, and all? You even swear not to tell?
Well, I suppose I could tell you something. Just one or two little tidbits.
Here it is…
Come closer…
Now, listen carefully…
<redacted>
Have a great weekend and don’t forget to have a little fun with your work in progress while you’re at!
Pud’n
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