O Happy Day...

So, I've started writing the story I was posting about below, and I'm so excited about it. It's a lot of fun. I've managed to start re-establishing some good writing habits, primarily by setting aside time on the weekends. Once I started sticking to that, I found myself more comfortable with writing at times during the week, as well. We call this "baby steps". Hey, I'm just glad to be writing.

The story I'm working on is based on an old folk ballad, originally Scottish, adapted in early America, and beautifully rendered in the early 70s by the Grateful Dead - "Peggy-O". The song tells such a good story, and I always found myself picturing the scenes so clearly, that finally one day it occurred to me to write the story out.

It's an interesting experiment for me, because I don't normally have such a strong plot structure when I start a book. One of my weaknesses as a writer - and probably one of the main reasons I have trouble finishing stories - is that I often start with a vague plot idea and a strong main character, and let the story develop. This leads to a bit of a meandering tendency. (Who, me, ramble? Never!) So I've got a whole new appreciation for the fully-fleshed plotline.