Late Morning, Friday, February 21, 2025, Miami, Florida
Books are a uniquely portable magic. – Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Yesterday was a better writing day than the one before. I managed to pen my daily blog post, savor a relaxing midday break, and enjoy a delightful lunch. When I returned to my desk, I felt a renewed determination to get something—anything—written by the end of my usual four-hour afternoon work session.
When I began writing Reunion: Coda in early March 2023, a “good writing day” usually meant crafting a decent scene without much planning. I’d sit at my desk, review what I wrote the day before, and immerse myself in the characters and their situations. Once I had a feel for the story’s nuances and the emotional undertones, I’d play the mental game we all know: “And then what happens?”
This approach to storytelling worked wonderfully for about two-thirds of the novel. It helped that I had a fantastic leading lady, Maddie, for the Present Day chapters in Reunion: Coda. Moreover, having the solid foundation of my novella, Reunion: A Story, for the 1980s chapters was a big plus. I seldom needed to outline Jim and Marty’s chapters since the framework was already in place from Book One of The Reunion Duology. My task was to expand on the plot points introduced in Reunion: A Story and give Jim’s high school love interest a more prominent role. This allowed readers to see how and why his actions—or lack thereof—shaped his outlook on love and relationships.
But as I wrapped up Jim Garraty’s high school journey with his graduation from South Miami Senior High and a final, emotionally charged scene with Marty, I realized I couldn’t rely on the structure of Reunion: A Story anymore. The challenge became delving into Jim’s personal and professional life in early 2000, constantly asking myself, “What happens next?”
(Moving from Tampa to Madison, New Hampshire in December 2023 and then back to Miami 10 months later threw off my rhythm as a pantser writer. The constant upheaval and the associated Sturm und Drang didn’t help either. I’ve never been a fan of uprooting, and those interstate moves didn’t do much to change my mind. All the stress and regret that came with them smothered my creative spark. After all, writing with an unsettled mind is nearly impossible. At least, I don’t write well when I’m upset or depressed. When my thoughts are scattered, my creativity hits a wall.)
So, even though I’m not a natural “plotter” and outlines always felt like they went against my instincts, the closer I get to the story’s climax, the more I find myself grudgingly accepting this change in my approach. I want to do a good job with Reunion: Coda, and I’ve realized that drafting a detailed preliminary sketch of a scene (still not quite at the full chapter outline stage!) before diving in helps me keep the narrative on track.
And that’s what I did yesterday during the afternoon work shift: I spent three hours crafting an 898-word outline that accounted for every necessary story beat of Chapter 25’s third scene, including some placeholder dialogue and specific emotions that Jim experiences during various interactions with other characters. It’s one of the longest outlines I’ve done since I started outlining back in Madison (which, by coincidence, is the name of Jim’s leading lady in the chapters set in early 2000). It’s also pretty detailed, although it isn’t engaging enough to work as a scene in its present form.
Today’s assignment is to transform this outline into a fully developed scene, full of life and riveting character interactions that seamlessly lead into the fourth scene of Chapter 25. I’m eager to breathe life into Jim and Madison’s story, making sure each moment is as compelling and emotionally charged as it deserves to be. So, let’s dive in and see where the story takes us next!
#ReunionCodaIn2025!
A Certain Point of View, Too 
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