guerrilla journals

I repeat: We have a premise. This is not a drill, friends. There is a real, live premise on our hands. Is it a great premise? I don't know, that's subjective and I'm not worried about that. I've got positive reviews from a few people so that's great. It is as follows:

In a treacherous place where magical beings have been chased underground, can Fox, a dreamy apothecary clerk with a dangerous secret, topple an unjust legacy with hunters on her heels and her family hanging in the balance before an infamous demoness breaks free and raises Hell?

Writing the premise and having a very specific guideline of what to include (and not include) actually helped me visualize where it starts and where it goes, what's at stake. Premises, according to The Novel Writing Roadmap, consists of:

• Character (name, occupation or descriptor)
• Setting (time period, location, situation)
• Goal (what do they want?!)
• Opponent (why is it so hard to get?!)
• Disaster (what happens if they don't get it?! or better, if they do?!)

I had an inkling of a story and characters and now I know who my champion is. I know her goals, what pisses her off, and what inspires her (at least in this story, anyway). I know what kicks off the action and I know why she does it. I mean, who wouldn't want to read about a kid named Fox avenging a mysterious woman before hell breaks loose?

Now I have an outline that I'm working on, fleshing out bit by bit. I think this is working. Shhh.

And to make things even better, I have a new typewriter keyboard to boot!