Along the Writing Journey

Along the Writing Journey~~The truth and consequences :)

Being an author of fiction is a wonderful and sometimes frustrating pursuit in life. On any given day emotions can swing from top of the world to the bottom of the heap and back again. After hours of tweaking a chapter you might sit back, tap your chin and think, “Wow, did I write that?” Only to find yourself moments later scratching your head, and wondering how the next chapter’s dialogue came to sound like it was written by a tongue-tied chipmunk.

Humility and cringe-worthy moments are common pieces of my writing puzzle. But it’s the satisfaction after editing and re-editing a book that keeps me moving forward. The final version, the one that the editor accepts and loves.

I’ve written several books, 2 are published and I can honestly say writing is tough. Storylines often sway in unexpected directions and new character personality traits can pop up when you least expect. Heroines and heros turn into a villains and vice-versa. A plot can thicken or end up going nowhere. Like planting a seedling, a story sprouts, grows and produces a creation that is far more complex than where it started. Often very different than what we expected.

Like most writers, my stories are crafted out of passion, determination and love. I learned that I must put myself in the story. See the plot through my characters eyes. Feel their emotions, frustration and pain. Bring out their insecurities and show their faith. And mostly bring them to the brink of collapse before rescuing them.  I want the reader to sense what we actually live, feel and experience: chaos, absurdity, humility, sadness, beauty, love… If, as I read, I don’t bring tears to my own eyes, I haven’t done my job.

Life is about fiction. From folks rewriting their own memories to daydreaming about hopes and dreams. Fiction gives a writer a way to rewrite mistakes and sorrows or find forever love. Threads of truth blended within a story of fiction. Although frustrating at times, the passion to write burns within a fiction writer’s soul. And like food for my soul, I can’t imagine not writingJ