It is always like this at this stage. The book stretches out before me,unwritten and not yet fully formed. After so many manuscripts, I know this feeling and I know when it will pass. All too soon, unfortunately. Sometime later this week, this story will change from lazy speculation to work.

When I write, I normally meander about for an opening change, just thinking aloud more than anything else. But as soon as I write the first chapter cliffhanger, I stop.

I stop, and I get serious about the story. That's when I structure the entire thing, working out the three act structure and the conflict lines, the character arcs, all that. NOT outline. Structure. Listen to some of the podcasts on this site and you'll know more. Or better yet, get BAM: Structure, and learn how to do it yourself.

First chapters are a very different sort of critter. Three things need to happen in the first few paragraphs – do you know what they are? If not, you probably ought to pick up BAM: First Pages.

So at this point, this is what I know. It's a howliday, a celebration and solemn remembrance that people don’t know about. (I also know that I keep trying to spell it rememberance and that I'll probably get that straightened out before I finish the story.)

As I think on the story, I'm starting to see the main character. It's an older dog this time, not like the pup in AVery Airey Christmas. I sense a semi-tragic aire to him – well, no, maybe not him. Maybe with another dog. I think our protagodog is older, is thinking about his legacy to the world and is perhaps too cynical and he hates that about himself. There's a tragic figure somewhere, but it's not the protagonist.

How did he become a cynic? That's such an undale-ish sort of trait,isn't it? Cleverness, indomitable cheerfulness – shoot, even my 12 year old incontinent tripod Lucybelle is the eternal optimist. It takes an AWFUL lot for an Airedale to lose hope, doesn't it? I've seen it in some rescues and even then, most of those recover.

So that's where I am on Day One, musing about cynical older Airedales and probably typing out a few rough paragraphs. I'll post those when I get to them. First paragraphs – an art unto themselves, critical checkpoints andsuch. I love a challenge.

I'm already starting to see this dog's face a bit. I think he's probably a red – a dark red russet rather than a beige ("taupe", a vet tech once called it and I rather like that.) But no,this fellow is probably a dark red. And for now, it is indeed a boy dog, but that could change as well.

For now – he shall be called Amos.Like this fellow, a ten year old owner surrender.

Signing off to twiddle with first paragraphs. More later.