Writing undressed (Patreon)

So I finished Aberrant Magic 6, and I'm starting to poke a few of my WIPs as I think about where to dig in, I often brainstorm a bit.  Today I poked at Royal Indiscretion. Yves is the third child of the king's brother.  Close enough to the throne to be screwed up.  Doug is an American quarterback looking to climb the ladder with the right lady since his gay lovers will never provide social respect.

I often start scenes by simply letting the characters talk.  No setting, no thoughts, no quote marks... just writing down their words as fast as I can type.  This is how a story first comes to me--in the character's words.  If I turn the radio off in the car or stand under the shower, I can imagine my characters talking to each other, complaining, apologizing, whatever.  Most of his dialogue ends up in the final product, but not all of it.

Now that I have this scene, I have to back up and figure out how the characters got in this car (I'm assuming it's a car). After that, I'll have to decide point of view.  Which character's head do I want to live in during this exchange? I usually base that off which character is holding more secrets or which one is learning the most.  I like to be inside a character's head when he has that ah-ha epiphany.  

But anyway, I thought I would show you what my messy process looks like.  Here's a bit of brainstorm as I poke my muse.

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I assure you, I do not require a babysitter.

Your vocabulary gets snottier when you’re pissed.

Thank you for that revelation. I will treasure the knowledge you have imparted.

Look, I’m not here to play babysitter.

Reality contradicts that statement. After all, my father hired you to accompany me, and you have no training as a valet, bodyguard, chef or personal staff, so that would make you, in colloquial American terms, a babysitter.

I’m not about to run around after you and wipe your nose.

Thank you for that, although I suspect my father is more likely to have asked you to run after me and confiscate any needles. What? Did he fail to divulge my sordid past with drugs and alcohol?

No, he told me. He didn’t ask me to keep you sober though. I hear you have a coach for that.

Nick is my sponsor, and he is not your business.

Hey, that’s fine. If you two have a thing, I am not going to tell anyone.

How dare you make those sorts of assumptions.

I’m not assuming anything. I’m just telling you that I’m not going to run back to your father and tell him what you’re doing.

Thank you so much for offering such specious assurances.

You really are an asshole.

At least that is honest.

And I am telling you the truth about not running to your father. If you and this Nick have something going, I won’t tell your father.

First, there is nothing to report. Nick is my sponsor and mentor. I would never threaten either of those roles by engaging in sex, and even if I were to lose my mind, as I have in the past, he is unforgivably heterosexual. Since we are going to be staying on his property, I expect you to keep any tasteless and in apropos comments to yourself. He has a right to live on his own land without having an uncouth American cast aspersions on his character.

You play a mean game of defense.

Excuse me?

Defense. All this verbal diarrhea of yours is a pretty good line of defense, but I actually do know all those words, and I’m not going to retreat in the face of a royal shit fit.

Such charming language you use.

Yeah, well it gets the job done. I talk nicer in front of people I want to impress, but I figure you’re a man who would prefer more honesty. Or maybe I’m just sick of listening to you use that fancy education of yours to bash people.

Bash people?” Yves voice was dangerously flat.

Hagan.

He is my father’s secretary and well versed in how to defend himself, physically and verbally.

So that gives you a right to act like a shit?

Your language is baffling.

So is the food you serve around here. Stop changing the subject and tell me what the second thing is that’s bouncing around in your head.

Again, you assume I am thinking anything beyond how utterly pedestrian you are.

Actually, I’m assuming that since you used the word ‘first’ that you’re going to get around to a ‘second’ or maybe even a ‘third.’

Second, I am well aware that my father asked you to report to him regarding my actions. I can see no reason for you to agree to travel with me other than to curry favor with Duke Gerard, so don’t pretend otherwise.

I wasn’t going to. Would I like to get in the Duke’s favor? Hell yes. People around here treat me like I’m about as intelligent as a bull.

You do resemble one.

I’m a quarterback. We’re the tiny guys on the field, so if you want to see what a human bull looks like, I know a couple of defensive linemen who hover around three hundred pounds. They’re massive. I’m a dainty little flower compared to a lot of guys on the team. However, I also have two college degrees and a brain that functions rather well. So, yes. I do want to impress your father with the fact that my IQ is in the triple digits. That doesn’t mean I’m going to run back to him and tattle or that he asked me to. By the way, he didn’t ever ask me to.

I can’t see any other reason for him to make the request.

Then maybe I’m not the idiot in his particular car.

Excuse me?

I can think of at least four reasons for asking me to drive you up to Nick’s place.

Feel free to enlighten me. Dazzle me with your strategic thinking.

You have surpassed asshole and have gone on to less pleasant body parts like intestines and infected tonsils. 

I find that I don’t care about your opinion.

Oh this is going to be a great day, isn’t it?

You could have refused and we could have waited at the castle for Paul.

Yeah, I don’t think so. The longer you stayed at that party, the more everyone was focused on you. How long do you think it would have been before Mary noticed that the father of the bride was locking himself in his office with her little brother?

Hagan’s office.

You punctilious little piss ant.

One point for vocabulary. But then I must deduct one for unnecessary vulgar language.

I so want to hit you right now.

Feel free. That would surely impress my father.

I really hope you’re being sarcastic or trying to frame me for an assault.

So what other brilliant tactical advantages have you considered?