I'm often asked where I get my ideas for new books from. I don't really know. Sometimes it's through watching a t.v. show or reading an article and I think, 'hey, what a cool story idea'. Of course, then I find it's already been written.
Pretty much everything has been written in some way, shape or form. That Bible verse that says there is nothing new under the sun is correct. There really isn't.
I was about to change publishing history as we know it with the first Amish Vampire novel, but somebody beat me to it, so I guess I'll have to put that baby away. Dang it.
For me, the ideas are easy. It's the execution of them that's the pain in the you know where.
I haven't yet learned to just sit down and write. You know, sort of vomiting everything up from the depths of your soul kind of writing. Sounds delicious, right?
I really need to get past the trying to make it perfect so I can finally sell something stage in my publishing journey.
At this point, I suppose that is important, if indeed I ever do want to sell anything, but hey you want to talk about pressure, baby - and I don't work well under pressure.
But I do think it is vitally important, whatever you are writing, that you sit down in a quiet space and really search yourself - find that place where your deepest emotions lie, and tap into it.
I've done it a few times. It's pretty scary, but the results are pretty amazing.
And eye opening.
I'm learning that if I want my readers to make that intense connection with my characters and their experiences, I have to make it first. If I don't find something interesting, engaging or deeply moving, chances are, nobody else will.
Did anyone see Avatar? I thought it was cool the way they attached their tails to the trees and plants and shared energy or whatever they were doing.
That's what I'm talking about. Being connected to whatever it is that gives you life, and then being able to share that energy through the written word.
Right now, that goal seems a rather lofty one. I'm being pushed, pulled and stretched in my writing. I'm being asked to sink under the water, explore those dark places and see if there are any hidden treasures down there. The very idea of scuba diving scares the crap out of me, so I'm really not comfortable with that analogy but there it is. I'm not going to be comfortable down there, I might be scared, I might even run out of air, but I know one thing for sure.
I will rise.
And when I do, I'm praying I will be all the better for it, both as an author and as a person.
Where are you willing to go with your writing?
2 comments:
I like what you said about digging down deepand finding that connection first--it is a good way to measure what we choose to write. If it doesn't move me, how can I expect it to someone else?
Thanks for dropping by The Ponderers! You and I share a common link--Rachelle!
And Susan May Warren pushes us to go deeper in our writing--"to be breathless" in what and how we write. One tne thing I'm trying is keeping an "emo" journal--a journal of emotions that I've experienced that I want to write into my scenes.
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