I decided I needed to write a list of what order the story is going in so I don’t get confused. Similar to creating a story #1 character list. I’m also adding little snippets so I remember the beginning and ending of that part of the story. Man it’s kind of hard to stay organized when you don’t write in order! Who knew?
Here’s the order so far for story #1:
8. HOW MUCH CAN I PUSH THE ENVELOPE?
“Beth furiously stomped her way up the hill…
… Daily runs for the last year. Daily runs past the cornfields and cow shit. Daily runs in this small, close-minded town for her sanity. What else was there to do?”
9. KICK A CHAIR
“She thought of the things the women in town did for fun.
‘Scrapbooking! Making casseroles! Church groups!’…
…Beth had taken awhile to start her first career. After falling into the traps of a pyramid scheme cult right out of high school (thanks boyfriend at the time), her college career was delayed by years. The “business” leaders would tell the young kids (at least 18 for legal purposes) that they were just delaying their gratification. They could go to college at any time! Once they got rich off of selling…”
16. NOW I KNOW WHAT NANOWRIMO IS
This post goes in the middle of the above post.
“The first parent complaint came early October. Students were allowed to “check out” classroom books and take them home over the weekend…
…She was already slightly wary of the Gunderson family because of the business at the farm…was this some form of retaliation?
Instead of arguing, she decided to stand up, smooth out her skirt and say, “Have a good evening, Mr. Busey.””
6. HERE’S ME STARTING MY STORY
“Ruth set down her suitcases in the worn-out entry. She looked at her husband, Alec, with questioning eyes. ‘This is it?’ she wanted to say…
…Since they couldn’t afford the open concept demolition she had seen on every home improvement show at the time, other ways were found.”
11. I WILL DEFINITELY HACK THROUGH THIS
“When Beth graduated from high school, she had a plan. She had been taking CAD classes and was ready to become a rich architect…
… Needless to say, she started her career a little later in life than her original eighteen-year-old self intended.”
12. UNSETTLING FOR HER
This post might somehow take the place of #6.
“It was June when they moved in, so the air was humid, the hair sticking to the back of her neck as she hauled all her belongings inside…
…She would of course help around the farm, but the big things would be up to Alec and anyone he hired. Beth had a moving clause that she would not become a “farmer’s wife.” At least not in the traditional sense where she would stay home and make the home pretty while popping out baby after baby.”
14. SERIOUSLY, BETH?
Beth finally saw the family farmhouse in the distance. She ignored another call from Alec. He was not a fan of her walking by herself and would definitely not be thrilled she was walking alone in the dark…
… There was a separate section of town where all the Mexican immigrants lived. Mostly houses for rent; no bank would give them a loan for a home. Since there was only one elementary and one high school, the two sides of town tended to mix more than just at work.
This particular story happened at the high school.”
19. GOT THE WHOLE TOWN FIRED UP
“Alec’s dad proceeded to tell him the story, his rum and coke in one hand…
…Alec also thought about how his dad’s politics tended to belong more at the farm, but he didn’t say anything. Alec himself was more on the moderate side, his wife on the liberal side. Her politics certainly belonged in the city. He would find this out when they moved to the farm two years later.”
20. MY ANKLE KINDA HURTS
“Beth laid in a crumpled ball in the ditch. Slightly wet with the night dew…
…“And that you screamed at my dad.”
Noah looked over at him, confused. Beth froze. Who was his dad? This guy looked much too old to be associated with the elementary parents. Maybe in his twenties. She didn’t know of any parents having a son that old…”
22. A CHEVY HOUSEHOLD
Alec looked at his phone again, frustrated. He knew Beth should be on her way home because he had gotten an upsetting call from someone at that meeting. [[who was it]]They said Beth blew up. In public…
Beth winced audibly as a new wave of pain shot through her ankle.
…Suddenly, Tim seemed to have an idea. The truck quickly came to a stop and whipped around, heading the other way back towards town.
23. HELP GET ME UNSTUCK
(This post goes in the middle of post #22)
“Beth remembered hearing stories about Tim, but had never met him. She thought he might have had something to do with a terrible story Alec told her about some kids picking on the González family. Something about racial slurs. Possibly violence?…
…Thankfully, Noah was also in the car and they were literally a block away from her house.”
18. WRITE THE ENDING
“…Beth had finished her final class of her Master’s Program taken online through the University of Nebraska at Lincoln the previous month.
…“Oh, yes. I’m here. How are you?” Beth had only met him once before and she doubt he remembered her. There could only be one reason he was calling. But she thought it was all resolved…
“I would like to offer you a job.””
