Writer's Block

Guess what?  I write stuff.

Shocking, I know.

I have been writing as long as I can remember.  Sometimes, it's even good.  I wrote a book, which took seven years.  I haven't sold it yet, nor do I have an agent.  I kind of think I'll probably buy an ISBN and sell it electronically.  You know- Nook and Kindle. 

The book is a memoir of my college years, written in an effort to understand the emotions that still haunted me from that time.  I finished writing it, and a few months later I went out for Halloween dressed as a woman. That night, everything became clear, and I understood the source of the pain:  I am Transgendered. 

Source of Pain?  Or Relief?

Want to know the style of that book?  I used the exact same style in a short story.  What kind of story?

I also write TG fiction.  I've posted some stuff here and there, including four stories to Fictionmania.  The first was a story called "Crying for Ogre."  It's set at a Major University in the 1980s, and concerns brothers in a top fraternity at that school.  Just like my book.

Fraternity House, like in my story.  But not MY fraternity.

Since finishing the book, I've been tweaking and revising it.  I've been writing this blog and my column at TG Forum.  Oh, and writing the aforementioned short stories.  I've actually written a lot of them, but they mostly suck.  (Someday when I'm gone, my family will auction off my writing notebooks.  Maybe they'd make good kindling.) 

So I'm getting ready to write a new book, but I've encountered a problem.  I know where I want to set the story, and what sort of characters I want.  (Setting IS a major character, btw.  Think of it this way- how many shots of the Enterprise do you see in a given Star Trek episode/movie?  Lots.  The ship is a beloved character as well as a setting.)

Ok, so the problem?  I mean have a setting and characters... but no PLOT.  I know, who needs a plot, right? 

My idea is to have at least one TG character and to depict her as a real human being, not some kind of stereotype.  But, what to have her do?  Why would people care what happens?  Plot, dammit!

Maybe I could have a science fiction setting.  But what kind?  Sword and sorcery?  Counter-factual?

I know!  A transgender Time Lord!   Nah... been done.   

I know!  A hard boiled Noir mystery!

"Name's Sophie.  I work the streets, but not that way.  I find people.  Not too easy in this city.  Especially when the cops are involved.  They're as dirty as the alleys on trash day.  And they smell worse."

Hmmm.  Needs work.

"Chad pulled Penelope closer.  Their lips met as he tore at her bodice.  "But Chad," she said,  "you know I'm a transgender vampire and I'm only attracted to Scottish lords!"  Chad smiled in that easy, sexy way he had.  "Frankly, Penelope, I don't give a damn.  I'm a billionaire werewolf into bondage, and I want you!" 

Well, that sort of thing is popular now!

I am Sophie!  See me Sparkle!  Or not.

Or I could go lowbrow.

"I'm transgender and it's the socialist communist liberals fault!  Especially Hussein Obama's!  He put an Ethiopian Trans voodoo spell on me so I would look like Ann Coulter!  I heard it on Fox News so it must be true!"

*Shrugs*  Hell, that's more truthful than anything written by Dinesh D'Souza!  And it sells books!

"Sophie Lynne's Fat Burning TG Diet Plan!  Remove inches from your waist and add them to your bust!"

Ok, now I'm getting silly.

I'll keep you posted if I think of anything.

:)