Where
do the Blog Queens come up with these ideas?
It is the month of All
Hallow’s Eve aka Hall-O-Ween or Samhain (Saw-wen) in the pagan tradition.
This month I’m embellishing upon our theme and talking about ‘tricky minds’.
As an author one of the joys
in my life is to write. I’ve written and published seven full length novels and
four short stories. I’m currently working on another full length novel and have
a ‘self-help’ book in the pre-writing stage.
Since I’m not a plotter (I
don’t sit down and plan everything out about characters, setting and action
ahead of time), I have written the above works from a place of trust.
The Sacred Women’s Circle
series and the short stories all came into being because I translated/wrote
about the dreams and visions I had that accompanied each book.
With “Visions of Happiness”
that isn’t happening.
No dreams. No visions. Nothing.
Even when I spend some
time meditating and attempting to visualize what comes next – nothing. (Before
I started writing, I did have a couple of flashes of story/character but since
I actually started writing – nothing).
What does happen is magical.
I sit down at my computer,
open the Word document, click on the “where you left off” icon and then wait
with hands poised over or maybe resting lightly on the keyboard. I’m 50K words
into the story and I’ve never failed to pick up and start writing wherever the
story left off.
I believe I have a ‘story
whisperer’ who watches over, guides and protects me. Or perhaps I just have a tricky,
magical mind.
Do you believe in story
whisperers? Or are you one who believes in tricky
Your free copy of Lily: The
Dragon and The Great Horned Owl is
waiting for you.
Go to JudithAshleyRomance.com and sign up for my occasional newsletter “Connections.” Follow the prompts to download your own digital
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11 comments:
I believe the "story whisperer" is deep inside you, but needs help to be accessed. That is where the tricky, magical mind comes in. The subconscious, where the story whisperer lives, has many great hiding places. The conscious mind, where you must type out the story, has to be pretty tricky to find those hiding places. Sometimes, other things going on in life--where the conscious mind acts and reacts--puts up barriers to the unconscious because it is overwhelmed or needs to be present with something else.
Where the magic comes in is that the conscious mind can partner with the unconscious to find the whisperer. It requires openness to different approaches and an absence of fear for at least a short period of time. The way that happens is definitely magic. :)
Judith - as someone who writes like you, the mind moving through the fingers, and occasionally having a dream or waking up in the middle of the night with an idea or flash of where the story needs to go, I have to say a bit of both - story whisperer and magical minds. Definitely fun things to ponder.
This subject is exactly what I just wrote about for my next RTG blog in November. Great minds think alike!
I believe I have a tricky mind and that I have 'story whisperers' guiding me as well. Stories have come to me in different ways. The ones I brainstorm and plot or get ideas from the news are perhaps 'tricky mind' stories. The ones where I'm walking across the living room with a basket of laundry, in the moment, mind blank, and a voice in my head says, 'The Fixer-upper Boyfriend' and I think, "huh, interesting title..." and run with it are 'inspired.'
Maggie, I agree an absence of fear is needed as well as an absence of judgement. If I pondered every word choice in my first draft I'd probably still be writing "Lily". I put judgement in a bottom drawer and write. I do bring it out when I go back and read that first draft to see what and how and where I can improve the story. First drafts for me are more magical than the second and that brings me back to writing yet another story.
Deb, I'm looking forward to reading your November guest post here as your alter-ego, Delsora Lowe. Anyone reading this, mark November 11th on your calendars and be sure to see what this talented author has to say about writing and holiday themed stories.
Sarah, you are one of the most creative people I know so it doesn't surprise me that you have a magical tricky mind as well as a story whisperer leading you to write creative stories with a touch of humor in so many genres. I'm enjoying "Blindsight" and look forward to your next creative endeavors!
I believe in both. Sometimes the words come so easily I feel as if someone is whispering each line to me. I keep saying it's my mother. At times it's all in the mind, says this panster. Either way it's magical.
I lean more toward a story whisperer. I think of mine as a muse sitting on my shoulder. Always helping me with word choice and plot line. Sometimes she is good and helps a lot. Other times I think she has gone to sleep for the day/night. I do not dream about my stories. Sometimes when reading a magazine or newspaper I'll get a "What if moment..." and I save those articles. Great post.
Marcia, Very cool to see your mother as you story whisperer. I see mine as more of a spirit. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
Diana, I can't remember ever having a conscious "what if" moment when writing. The words may be there subconsciously, outside my awareness. I am often surprised by the words that appear on my computer screen when a plot piece, action, a bit of dialogue just appears out of the blue. Love that you have your "What if moments" from reading newspapers and magazines. So many people have stopped getting news and information that way...and only get their information from Facebook and Google.
I too believe it takes a "tricky" or open creative mind and also sometimes guides who help us tap into the universal consciousness where all we are and need to know is available for us to draw on. In my own experience, I also believe in spirit and that we can be attuned to past life memories and experiences but overall, the most important part of the process is doing it---opening and allowing it to unfold and as with any creative experience it brngs its own kind of joy!
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