True and Fictional Tales

The cat ate my outline.

Believe it or not, I've had a story in my head since 1991. Sure, it's changed a bit. Many of the characters names are different now. Even the hero. But the heroine is the same. The idea of how she gets from point A to point B is there as well. And at long last, I've finally figured out what the hero's true purpose is. Although, until last night, I had an ending in my head that would fit better as a second book ending to a trilogy, rather than a stand alone novel.

As for getting to the actual writing, I did have a completed first draft in 1992. I printed out a copy and backed it up on a floppy disk. Then went onto another story, letting that one sit. At this time, I hadn't even heard of the Internet yet.

I make this point because whenever someone mentions they lost all their work in a computer crash, or natural disaster, some fellow writer will remark on how they should have made backups and used an online service. This is true, but sometimes a string of bad luck just happens no matter how much you prepare.

As you might have guessed by now, I lost this story. First to go was the computer hard drive. Virus? I don't know. Maybe it couldn't handle our move to another apartment. All I know is that it crashed, taking my story with it.

Later, I backed it up to another floppy after doing a bit of changes. But one floppy was destroyed when my 5 year old daughter decided to use it as a coaster and spilled hot chocolate on it.

Over the next few months, I used the printed copy to correct errors and to add and remove areas. This copy somehow didn't make it's way to our new house. I'm guessing one of the guys helping us move tossed it out with the rest of the garbage. At least, I hope that's the case. I haven't seen it in print yet.

It's just as well. At that point, the story needed to be scrapped. It was horrible.

Once our daughters started school again, I went to work on re-writing the story. One copy on the laptop, one copy on CD-R with the original still on a floppy. This time I worked early mornings and late at night on it. I still didn't have an ending I liked yet, but it was going to get done. For years, these characters had been in my head every night before going to sleep.

Then the unthinkable happened. A record-breaking flood wiped out most of our house. The floppy was destroyed and the CD had a huge gash through it. We were too busy worrying about the house to think of backing up what was left on the laptop. When we finally had electricity to use it, a virus passed through our anti-virus software forcing us to wipe the hard drive.

At that point, I said, "Forget it. I'm done!" And gave up on the story. There were other writing projects I was working on. Others completed. Why bother with this one? Every time I tried to write this one story something happened. It was like someone was trying to tell me to give it up. Is it cursed?

But as time went on, my mind kept going back to these characters. I can't let go for some reason. And so, I'm trying it all again. Will it be a great story? Who knows? It's nothing like the original anymore. At this point, I just need to get it done for me.

Sometimes it feels like I go one step forward and two steps back. Yesterday, I worked on index cards. Rearranging to what I felt was a workable outline. Then put them into a collapsible folder. The kind with the string to tie it shut. This morning I woke to find the string eaten off and a third of my index cards on the floor, ripped to shreds with kitty teeth marks in them.

Lucky for me, I put the outline on the computer last night before bed. And, just before writing this, I put it in an online storage folder.

So, the story I've worked on and off on since 1991 is safe for the moment.

And for those who are curious, so is the cat.