Forewords From the Future

[There was no post on Friday, because I thought it may be against my religion to blog on Good Friday. There was no post Saturday or Sunday, because I've decided to be a work-week blogger only, so as to feel more professional. There was no post on Monday, because I am a lazy, lazy person.]

 

Today's post is going to be brief, and detail a helpful exercise that I've devised for myself. It's an exercise in positive thinking, and it's also fun. And sometimes it helps to brainstorm new plot threads.

 

We all have projects that we want a little bit of a push to actually get off the ground, and sometimes all that these projects need is a little background. You can begin by imagining yourself as a published writer. The story that you're working on has blossomed into a full-blown novel, which in turn captured the hearts of millions and became an international bestseller. (Not just national. International.) Also, you used some royalties to buy a little villa on the shore, and now you spend your days sipping lattes and answering fan mail on the porch. Did I mention you're doing a book tour next month? You can indulge in this fantasy for as long as you want, because it is a pretty awesome fantasy.

 

So now sink a little bit deeper into this fantasy. Your publisher has contacted you, and they want to print a second edition of your novel. This edition will feature lots of exclusive new bonus material: an interview with you (ooh), new cover art (aah), a code to get some online swag (eee), and... a foreword, written by you. Oh.

 

So set the latte down for a sec, because you don't want it spilling on your brand-new, classy writing software. And get to work on that foreword.

 

Now back to present day. It may seem silly to try and write a book's foreword when you haven't actually, you know, finished writing the book. But for me, at least, it's much easier than it sounds. Here's a quick list detailing the perks of writing exclusive bonus material for a book you haven't finished.

 

• You can be however pretentious you want. You're a published author now. It's cool if you feel super-good about yourself. Legions of devoted readers won't hang you out to dry just because you use language that might be flowery or conceited.
• It gives you confidence. Once a book has a backstory, once you've established it somehow, you have an incentive to press forward. Give yourself something solid to base your framework upon, like, "I remember the day I thought of this concept..." or, "This novel began as a tiny idea on a rainy Monday..." or, "I spent full hours locked in my room, working on this story..."
• It gives you somewhere to start. It's always hard to start from scratch, but a 1-or-2-page forward flows out of you with very little effort, and even better, then you have something more than just a blank page. You have some expectations for yourself.
• It's like an outline, but more fun. You don't have to adhere to any particular format, and of course you can change whatever you want as your story develops. You may be surprised at how helpful this can be.
• It really, truly is enjoyable. Who hasn't written a letter to their future child, or a poem for a someday spouse, or a diary entry set fifteen years from now? The fact is, it's a little thrilling, especially at this age, to imagine the future. There aren't many limits for you at all, and every day they diminish further. It's America, it's the twenty-first century, and you're you. So pull out all the stops, because the possibilities really do border upon endless.

Daily prompt: Choose a WIP that you need a bit of a push on, and do the exercise detailed below. Post letters of <1000 words below, because they're just as fun to read as they are to write.

PS But you might want to wait until May. After all, it's script-writing month.