“A book too can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding Universe.” – Madeleine L’Engle.
I mentioned in a recent newsletter that with the oncoming of spring, ideas have begun to burst after the dormancy of winter. Stories, articles, and art fill every waking moment. I have often said that writing is like breathing for me. I truly panic when I go through an uncreative period. Writing is magical Writing is a truly, magical process. A story is a place I can visit 24/7. I think about it. I dream about it. I write about it. And re-write, and re-write, and re-write. You get the picture.
Whatever story I am working on Is in the background of everything I do. My family calls it “book land,” but it has been with me since I have been a child. When I look at people or places, I subconsciously turn them, or more usually, a piece of them, into a character in a different time or place. Places become settings from funny happenings to murder mysteries. It’s a game that I’ve played in my head for as long as I can remember. Simply, everything we read, listen to, view, and experiences influence the story or creative piece. It’s not a limiting process of other authors or other stories. Sometimes characters surprise you. They come out of nowhere and become part of the story. Layers upon layers of each of these snippets of characters, plots, and settings, eventually become a book.
We are so very fortunate to live in the world we live. We have the technology, the inventions, and the choices of being able to create and produce our ideas any way we want to do so. If we do not go the traditional route, independent publishing, film, recording, etc. are no longer frowned upon by society. It’s an accepted part of our society. Aren’t we lucky!
