Tackling the Nasty

So, there I was sitting around after my marathon session to complete Djinnocide and submit it to Harper Voyager.  I was wiped out.  And I promised myself a week off (at least) to recover.  I submitted on a Sunday.  Sunday night I felt weird because I wasn't at my computer working.  By Tuesday, I was being inundated by my other stories - all clamoring for their shot.  On Friday, I made my decision as to which of the whining bitches manuscripts I would tackle next. 

I spent the weekend thinking about how I was going to approach this particular unfinished, hot-mess.  If you've been here long enough, you may remember a little behemoth I called Nano (short for Nanotechnology - aka Bloodflow).  I finished the first draft a few years ago and then left it to simmer.  I've gone back to it several times - each instance discovering it had taken on a scary quality.  It's big.  It's got so many twists and turns it puts my paperclip box to shame.  And every time I look at it, it adopts the attitude of MONUMENTAL UNDERTAKING.

In short, it's nasty.

It has the main plot.  A sub plot.  A sub-sub plot.  A budding romance.  A villian who isn't.  A villain who is.  Henchmen working behind the scenes doing things even the villains haven't authorized.  A red herring or two...  :shudder:

Yeah.  It's nasty.  But it's also delicious.  I can totally see how this could be the BIG BOOK.  I just need to jump on ride this f... sucker like the untamed beast it is until it becomes the dressage champion I need it to be.

But frankly, the idea is scaring the holy hell out of me.  And it has for years.

The last time I tried to tame this thing, I did the note card approach.  Each scene written down with major points and key ingredients.  I have a whole pile.  And it didn't help me one bit.  (Still isn't helping - since I picked it up over the weekend and went 'arrgghh'.)  Note cards are not my process, apparently.

"Whyfor did you bathe me, Mom?"

So, Sunday I printed off the best couple first chapters I'd come up with and yesterday I sat down with a notepad and pen.  That's my process.  So far?  Well, it hasn't bitten my hand off yet.  That's something.

Wish me luck.  I may need it.

What nasty job have you tackled recently?

Oh yeah, I was so not wanting to tackle this bear that on Friday, I bathed the cat.  That ought to show you how much this thing scares me.  Max does not make bath time lots of fun.  ;o)