Haircuts and Breakthroughs

I was feeling restless tonight. I did a bit of cleaning, watched a few episodes of Wolf's Rain (a Japanime series I had never seen, but so far has definitely grabbed my attention), and it was only 8:00. I had to do something, get out of the house, but didn't know what to do. So I hopped in my truck and just started driving. I don't think I've done that since high school. Maybe college. I got about 20 miles down the state highway, driving through a small town and saw a sign for Great Clips. I was just thinking yesterday how badly I need to get my hair trimmed, so I stopped in and did just that. Back in the truck, somewhere around mile 30, I had a breakthrough for my novel. I finally figured out what to do with the character/story line that has been giving me so much trouble. I will cut it out entirely, and I know what I'm going to replace it with. I think the novel will work much better with this new idea.

I tried to find a diner to stop, grab a bite to eat, and jot down some ideas, but the only one I found had just closed. It was now 9:00. I turned around and headed for home, and stopped at the local 24 hour diner for some coffee and toasted ravioli. I jotted down almost 2 pages of notes, then headed for home. I probably won't have much time to work on it until writing day next Saturday (had I said it was this Saturday? It's next weekend.) But I have notes and am ready to go whenever I do have time. And even just the notes feel much more real, more alive, than the chapters I have written but will now cut out.

I'm not sure what gave me the idea, if my subconscious had been working on it this whole time, but I'm more likely to believe it was my restless, somber mood, Mogwai playing on my iPod, driving through dark country highways that did it. Whatever it was, I'm glad I took that drive. Cut out some chapters, write new ones, then I just might be done with this thing.