In over my head?

So, I've been focusing on Undone for the last few days, and more than once, I've wondered if I'm in over my head. Or rather, if I'm capable of doing this story justice. Intellectually, I know I can...but let me tell you, there are times when I sit back, look at a scene or the outline, and think, "how the fuck am I going to sort this out?"

Don't get me wrong: I love this story. I love the characters. I fully intend to finish it. I'm not complaining in the least...just saying it's a bit overwhelming from time to time. Keeping the characters sympathetic while having them react believably to their situation is a challenge...and I do love a challenge.

Ironically, writing several gay novels has helped tremendously with this book. All of the characters in Undone are heterosexual, but I spend a lot of time writing from the perspective of the two male main characters. Now, I certainly had experience writing from a man's point of view before I wrote my first gay novel. Camera Shy, With The Band, and The Next Move all have male POV scenes, but they're in third person. Rules of Engagement, The Best Man, and all of my subsequent gay novels are in first person (and I highly doubt I'll ever write a gay book in third person). So I've gotten used to writing first person from a man's POV. It was a little odd at first, but I've gotten quite comfortable with it. In fact, it was a little weird to switch back to a female character after five gay books in a row.

And believe me, I'm glad for that: Writing Undone from four first person POVs is more than enough to make my brain fizzle; if I wasn't already equally comfortable with male and female first person, then I'd probably fuck this up royally (assuming I don't find some other way to do just that).

Yes, you read that right: four first person POVs. I swore up and down I would never do that, but this story needs it. Yet another thing that makes me wonder if I'm in over my head, but I think I can do it.

Mostly, though, it's the story itself that's overwhelming. In terms of how they'll respond to the situation at the heart of the story, I'm following the characters' leads, so hopefully they won't lead me astray. Write what you know? Pfft. Yeah right. We'll see how it goes.

So anyway, expect a few Undone-related rambles before the first draft is finished. It's a bit of a mind-bender to write, and I've got my fingers crossed that I can do it.

Speaking of Undone, I'm debating changing the title back to its previous working title, The Ties That Bind. Haven't decided yet. Not that it's terribly important for a working title to, well, work, but I rather like to have an appropriate title.

I also rather like it when Robert Downey Jr takes his shirt off:
Now. Back to work...