My Seasons as a writer

When I decided I would share the voices in my head, I envisioned this journey of bliss. Sort of like discovering the secret to calorie free doughnuts. So far I haven’t found the secret and while my journey has been far from bliss it has been interesting.

Season #1 - Figuring what voices I wanted to give full rein to or the plague of the plot bunnies.

Pick me! Pick me! I'm awesome pick me!

 

Everyone of my voices wanted to be the star. I was overwhelmed. ‘Snowed’ in by the options so I had to dig my way out. It was truly a Michigan winter season. The coldness of the isolation set in like a polar vortex.

I knew no writers, had no idea how to network with writers, or even find writers. I attended a semi-local writer’s group – it was AWFUL.

The try lesson to this season – everyone’s writing dream is a little different. Just as book is different.

Finally I narrowed down my idea – a daffodil in the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

Season #2 – Writing – everything is coming up flowers.

Now that I had my idea, had found a few on-line writer friends, it was time for my dream to bloom.

I wrote. Then wrote some more. Word after word, page after page, I wrote until I reached over 80k. Everything was in full bloom.  Then I realized that most of was horrible! My characters lacked goals and motivation so they aimless wandered through the pages.

Season #3 – Running to the beach in denial.

I decided writing wasn’t for me. I packed up my diet coke and went to the beach (I live less than a ½ mile for Lake Michigan). I soaked up the sun. Watched the waves. And listened to the voices in my head.

They had a plan. One wanted to kill people. One wanted to have sex. One wanted to figure who was killing people and maybe have sex.

My story was born. My characters had goals – killing and sex – they had motivation – people with brown eyes born in December were evil so they needed to be killed and well we all know what motivates us to have sex 😉

Season #4 – is finding the right combination of the above 3. I still start stories and then realize they aren’t meant to be written (much earlier than my first visit). I’m flooded with plot bunnies but have learned which ones have what it takes to become a story rabbit.  

Like life, writing is always changing a blending the seasons. I hope that most of your time is spent in the season of your choice.