Oh, Troy! Is there a person on this blog who does NOT relate to that? Probably not. I'm not sure it's Shiny Object Syndrome. I think not. It's more like, Run Scared From The Abyss Syndrome. I think it happens to everyone who finds themselves deeply inside their story - so, it's probably a scary symptom of a good thing. How often have we all shied away from the most dramatic, most comedic, most horrifying moment of our script? I once had the death of a major character happen off-screen! What the heck was I thinking?! I was thinking, this touches me too deeply. I'm going to have to root around in my heart and my soul now, dredge up the most true parts of myself, and throw them onto a piece of paper for others to see. And, in the normal course of events, give ME notes on. Letting all that happen off screen? Yeah, that sounds good! Maybe I could create some cute motif with a falling wineglass or something? *Anything* that didn't make me suffer. :) And, in certain circles, I could put on a turtleneck, find a jacket with patches on the elbows, and be lauded for my "literary" instincts! Pure drivel, of course. I was bat-shit scared! But, it passed. Some good stuff got written, better than I'd originally thought. Hope the next 20 weeks frequently scare you silly - in a really good way. :)

Thanks NEGenge - great anecdote! I'm definitely back on track now. Like you, I do think my original idea was made stronger by the side trip, and I'm now glad I experienced some doubts. If the story comes too easy, there's probably a reason, right?

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