Usually, I don't have a lot of trouble writing a synopsis. I do it very early in the book's creation, usually by the end of the second chapter, after I've had the opportunity to play with the main characters a bit. At this point, the synopsis is pure discovery, where I play with various ideas and think, "Oooh, I can't wait to write that part for real!"

But this time isn't "usually". With the proposal chapters (four, in this case) flowing, I finished them before going back to the dropped threads of the synopsis I had played with earlier. And then I got stuck, bigtime.

It took me a while to discover why. The story and growth of the characters required me to try something risky late in this novel, something I've never before attempted. I wasn't sure how it would be received, so my subconscious solved the problem by boycotting the writing of the synopsis.

Simply put, I was being a big chicken. But since big chickens don't sell novels on proposal, I'm going to go ahead and lay the kitten on the train tracks (not literally - so please don't get your knickers in a twist), get this story outline on the paper, and then deal with the consequences, for better or for worse.

In writing, fear holds our reins in an iron grip. Time to take the bit in my teeth and get moving.

Question for the day: What is fear keeping you from trying? What's the worst thing that could happen if you go for it anyway?