One Writer's Advice

At almost any writer’s conference, workshop, meet-up, discussion group, or critique session, someone will say, “No matter where you are or what time of day it is, if a writing idea comes to you, write it down immediately. But most writers have to learn first-hand that this is an important bit of advice.

I first discovered how crucial this piece of advice is when I got Amanda, the protagonist in my novel, into a very bad situation. It was easy enough getting her there, but I had no idea how I would resolve her dilemma. After several unsuccessful tries, I decided to let it rest for a while and I went to bed.

At around 2:00 a.m., I woke up and the solution immediately came to me. Not just any solution, but the perfect solution that would advance the action into the next chapter. The first thing I thought was that I needed to make a few notes so I wouldn’t forget. But it was dark and I was tired. I reasoned that a solution so brilliant could not possibly be forgotten in just a few hours. So I fluffed my pillow, pulled the cover up under my chin, and went back to sleep.

With daylight came the realization that I needed to get the middle-of-the-night revelation on paper. But I quickly discovered I could not remember anything about the sequence. I went to the manuscript, certain that reading again about Amanda’s situation would cause me to remember. It did not.

For the better part of my writing time that day I struggled with getting the story to move forward. Now, I wonder how different the story would have been had I sent Amanda down the forgotten path.

Trust me on this suggestion. Never let a writing idea go unrecorded. Write notes on a napkin. Scribble words on your hand. Enter remarks in your electronic device. Draw images on the bottom of your shoe. Whatever it takes to keep that thought. And always keep in mind that if not recorded now, there is a high probability it will never be recorded. I have no statistical evidence to support this claim, but tempting fate is never a good idea.

Dead of the Night

This proactive post contains a dire warning. This is what you will see each night as you try to sleep if you photograph and/or media post pictures of the sick me. 

Why “keepsake” pictures of tired, listless patients with matted hair, pale skin, dark-circled eyes, and tubes everywhere? Rude at best.

Clipart: Pixeden. com

Why Write?

Recently, the revised edition of Child of Desire was published on Amazon Kindle. Changes to this edition include rewriting and rearranging sections that had word choices and/or an unexpected POV switch previously passed over by editors. There are also some storyline changes. 

While going through the editing process, I was thinking about questions I have been asked about writing. Why did you decided to write a novel? Where did you get your inspiration? Is this actually a story of your life? Why did you choose a time in history rather than a more recent time? As a way of reintroducing Child of Desire, I am addressing some of these questions.

Writing and Inspiration

Many things influenced my desire to write including family, places I lived during my childhood, and career choices. From a young age I was an avid reader and loved stories, and I often wondered if I could tell a story that would captivate the imagination of others.

Colorado was my childhood home. There, I enjoyed hiking mountain trails and wading in the creeks that flowed down the hillsides, and I was always aware of how the natural surroundings influenced the way we lived. Library visits and education were important in our family and my love of learning led to a career in education. I taught in elementary and middle school and completed my career in higher education. During each of these assignments, I shared my excitement for reading with students.

Child of Desire - The Setting

My dad often took advantage of family dinners to recount events from his early life. He was a great storyteller and I was fascinated with his accounts of growing up on the plains of Southeastern Colorado and the survival of the people who lived in that hostile environment. I was equally captivated when he told of his experiences while living in Scott County, Virginia, during the 1930’s. During his brief stay there, he was the “outsider” in a closed mountain community that included many of my mother’s relatives. Dad’s vivid descriptions and attention to detail always transported me back to those times and locations. Because of these vicarious experiences and, later in life, trips to these locations, I chose Southwestern Virginia and Southeastern Colorado as major settings in my story.

Child of Desire - The Plot

Child of Desire is a historical novel that takes place in a period of time before I first saw the light of day. While dreaming about the story, I asked myself one question: “What could people have gotten by with in a world that did not have electronics and mass communication, a world that relied on a few telephones, the telegraph, newspapers, and radios for information? The plot was born with the answer to this question.

Child of Desire - The Characters

Fascination with stories about the strength and courage of people who not only survived the Great Depression but who did so while maintaining strong, independent spirits, provided inspiration for the characters in the story. My goal was to connect a story to that time period in realistic ways and to create plausible, touching conflict.

It was important to me that readers view the protagonist, Amanda, as I imagined her, including her outer beauty, inner being, relationships, struggles, and capacity to love and forgive. The traits of other characters in the story, whether in a supporting role or that of an antagonist, assisted in revealing Amanda’s positive, strong-willed temperament. 

Child of Desire and My Life

In the story, Amanda becomes a minister’s wife. I am the daughter of a minister and the wife of a minister. Even though the story does not reflect my life or the life of my mother, unique experiences while living in church provided housing, and the dynamics in various congregations pastored by my dad and my husband helped to shape Amanda’s story.

My Desire

My dream is that someone will enjoy Amada’s story and be entertained while vacationing in a beautiful summer place, or maybe while curled up in front of a fireplace on a winter day.

Link to Kindle eBook

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For a discussion guide, go to the "Book Group Discussion Guide" tab on this blog. 

Southwestern Virginia Swinging Bridge

Southeastern Colorado Windmill

~ Colorado and Virginia Pictures from Pinterest