I am nearing completion of my ninth Work in Progress. I call it “The Scene.” I used my late wife Judy’s college creative writing paper, also titled “The Scene,” as a prompt. Her Scene is here.
In my story, my character, Emily, takes Judy’s place as the writer of that Scene. The Scene, as a prompt, starts with a life memory. It is based on a young girl listening to her parents arguing in the next room. The story describes how that little girl is scared. She fears that one day she will wake up and find that her mom has been murdered by her father.
My story begins with Mia’s life, a new character, in which she lived Emily’s fictional story. Mia had listened to her parents argue many times. This time, she woke up the next morning to discover her mom had been murdered.
When I began writing this, I intended to exclude Emily from it. She had appeared in each of my earlier stories as either a primary or supporting character. In the end, I couldn’t let Emily go. That may be because, in my second novel, she took on many of Judy’s characteristics in my mind.
Bringing Emily into this one gave me the idea to have Mia and Emily meet. This meeting comprises a significant part of the plot. It necessitated the creation of several new characters. In Mia’s life, her father was accused of murdering her mother. He was convicted when Mia was only ten years old.
Emily’s growth as a character gives her a unique understanding of how her life and Mia’s are connected. This link, in part, allows Mia to explore her memories of that morning. Then, a memory surfaces. It changes everything Mia believes to be true in her life. It all starts on the day her mom was murdered.
Had her father been the real killer? Could she have heard the real murderer arguing with her mom? Can anything she is thinking about the real killer’s identity be true?
She doesn’t know at this time. It can still change. That is how discovery writing can go.
And what about that last plot twist I have planned for a final reveal? Will Mia discover a family secret related to why her mom died that morning? This is a secret only I know at this point.
I’m very close to the end. But it won’t write itself.
Memory is the Key 