The road we take as a writer is not always beautiful and lyrical. Most of the time it’s frustrating, nail biting, and down right scary. As I sit and watch the light mist fall outside my den window, I ponder what makes a good writer, what makes a bad writer?
The mind of a writer takes on several layers. A writer can swing from one emotion to another rapidly. It’s funny how quickly things change in the mind of a writer. I know personally I have had an idea about how a book would go and suddenly halfway through it takes a different turn. Sometimes I sit back and say “Wow, didn’t see that one coming” then I laugh to myself, why would I say that knowing it came from my own mind. Sometimes I think I have two brains, one the inner writer and two the outer person.
As a writer you usually see a story out of the simplest thing. I picked up a beautiful bright yellow leaf and looked at it. My mind exploding with possibilities. I traced the veins with my brain, suddenly thinking about a story line about the road less taken or maybe even a story line of the winding roads of life. Yep I got all that from a leaf.
Last night I was helping my son feed the dogs and he picked up a bowl outside and grabbed a slug. He immediately said, “Gross!” I immediately thought of a story about a person being a complete slug and how they pulled themselves out. This being thought of as I showed my son what happens to slugs as salt is sprinkled on them. Now that’s scary.
At Christmas time I get nostalgic and that brings on a wave of new writing possibilities in my mind. I can’t seem to stay on the same piece of work, I’m constantly swinging from one to the other. My mind saying you’ve got to do this, not that.
Don’t get me started on how music effects my writing. I have a long writing playlist. I use this while writing. It inspires me. It ranges from classical, country, classic rock, love, and just plain crazy. That might be my next blog post, the playlist of a writer.
Well, I’m through rambling. Aren’t you glad? As always good writing and if it comes through your head, write it down immediately and spread it into a story. You never know. May God bless and keep you.
Stephanie Hurt - Romance Author 
It’s funny that you should mention how the story just takes on its own life inside your head. Or when a character does. I just had one of those moments today when one of my characters was like…”oh and by the way…I’m so and so.” Wow – talk about taking me off guard, eesh! But her way worked better than mine. So cheers to those moments where we find things within our heads and in the small things we see. Otherwise the story and all its characters would be bumping around in your head lost and then what would we do? Great post!
Glad to hear I’m not the only one. Good luck with your writing. Let the voices in your brain have a voice too.
Bless you, you’ve hit the nail on the head! I find that my characters take life in my mind when I write a story. Sometimes I think differently and the characters think different. I’ve been told by a lady who herself is a writer that I should control these voices but I find- controlling them dampens my imagination.
Let the voices take control and take flight. Sometimes those voices are so interesting. For people that are not writers this would be crazy talk, but we as writers understand the need for those voices. Good luck with your writing and glad to hear I’m not alone in the craziness. Have a great day!