Jumping Head First
First of all, huge thanks to @vals-lente for putting out their Monstertober Prompt List today. I totally jumped in head first.
Because I like to think of all of my stories as their own mini-series on like Netflix or something.
And today, with the Prompt List- there was this pool of monsters that in my head, they were all literally lounging and floating in a pool with sunscreen and sunglasses and sunhats and little tropical drinks with umbrellas and pool floaties just chillin and getting a tan if they can tan, as they enjoy their summer vacation before "shooting" schedule where they get to go to various movie sets and meet their costars and learn fight choreography while the film sets are being built and decorated as we speak.
But me as a writer, am still obviously spit balling, pitching and working on the scripts. But I'm also just diving head first into the pool to pitch various projects at them and general outlines and time lines and when various things will be set in what time period, or universe or general setting and story archs and character archs and action sequences and if they need stunt doubles, and various themes, tropes and ideas and wardrobe and who their leading co-star could be. And if they'd be ok with various sex scenes to the monsters I don't have on my roster yet.
And some of them are looking at me like I'm crazy and have grown just as many heads as they have (lookin at you Hydra) and are going 'how about when you have a script, you can come back and we'll talk'. And others are like 'How much of this will be green screen vs. actual sets and props?' or 'wait, I get to work with (favorite pet/animal)? or, I get to work with (amazing lead here)? And a sex scene?! *drooling* Oh just twist my arm, where do I sign? Or, And I get to be held and be the little spoon? *wipes tears that they play off as pool water that splashed on their faces* Yeah, I would do that, will do, all of that. Thank you for this opportunity and thank you for not type casting me.' As I beam a smile with reassurances and hugs and handshakes and then hurry over to the next Monster with my clip board with dry erase markers and laminated sheets that are close enough to being waterproof.
And the ones who already have a series and a universe are like, 'and what do we get to have/do this time?' With giddy grins and excited smiles. *cough* because almost all of them are either married or about to be married to their costars *cough* and they're all doing the happy wiggles in their pool floaties and doing the fangirl squealing and ordering more rounds of... whatever drink and then ordering a mountain of nachos that get shared as they get to know each other and go 'oh you're on this project? Yeah, I'm on this one, that means we'll have an upcoming thing together because we're all in the same universe' like the Avengers and Marvel in General, or Bridgerton or whatever.
Because that's just how my brain works.
But it's also important because my health fucking sucks and chronic illness be chronic-y-ing. And the universe do be getting more creative with the monkey-ing of the monkey wrenches it throws at my life. And it just do be like that sometimes. And that's ok. That's why I like to get a head start. And do what I can, when I can and not beat myself up when I can get behind even with such a huge head start. Because real life is... real life. But in my life, where everything feels overwhelming and has components and variables so out of my control and this, writing is one of the few places and things I have complete control. And it's the most precious outlet I have.
So, thank you @vals-lente, this is helping more than you know.
