Rough start! Suz wondered if I was practicing for Survivor, or practicing being homeless.
I haven’t slept inside my house for over two months. I pledged on Facebook that I’m sleeping on the deck until I finish the novel I am writing. I’m hoping it’s before Christmas.
Why outside? The main character is a 12 year old boy, trying to survive in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. I want to get to know him better. So I spend a couple hours a day in the forest, and I spend my nights on the deck. That’s close enough to get a glimpse of his life.
Now I’m stylin’! At least I was until the rain kept leaking in…
I love the challenge! And really it’s not bad, because you can’t really call this “roughing it.” I’m on the deck, 10 feet away from the back door, with a cush air mattress and Christmas lights hung all around the inside of the tent. I even have great company. Zack, our 9 year old son, and Roger, the family dog, have both been sleeping out there pretty much every night. Love it!
Oooh yeah! Goodbye patio furniture cushions, hello air mattress (and a leak-free tent!)
Anyway, I can see how Thoreau ended up writing Walden, because the adventure of writing the novel can become more intriguing than the novel itself…
My li’l buddies!
Derek Munson works as a writer, speaker, and all-around daydreamer. His writings have been translated into over 40 languages, and he has presented to over 100,000 kids across the United States and abroad. He lives in Bellingham, Washington with his wife Suzanne, their daughter Abby, their son Zack, and Roger the family dog.
KidHeaded 
Good luck!
hey thanks!
Can’t imagine doing that over here in the New England! That’s some serious motivation to get going.
ha! yeah your weather might be a bit more extreme… The lowest temp we’ve seen is 46 degrees. So i really have no complaints at this point, aside from the constant zipping and unzipping of the tent. :i
Wow that’s dedication to your novel! Hope you finish before it gets too cold. Definitely the most unique way of getting to know your character I’ve heard of. Has it changed much of what you thought about your character?
Thanks Laura!
Yes, he has changed a ton. Pretty much everything I know about Douglas, and the whole island in general, was found in the woods over the past few months. And this sounds nit-picky, but I don’t know if my perceptions of Douglas have changed, or if Douglas himself has changed. But something is different! And he’ll continue to evolve/emerge, because every day is different and he’ll need to adapt to changing circumstances.
Thanks again for the note!
Derek
Reblogged this on The Writers Room and commented:
writer’s life
Thanks Elsa!
thanks! Just checked out your blog- i like the 100 word story thing. good stuff!
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