It's Rare...But Sometimes You See The Whole Story

 Many times, more than I can count, an idea will strike me in the middle of the night. I know I'm not alone in this. Ask any writer and they'll tell you it happens. Some attempt to write down their ideas, something I even tried once. It was unsuccessful. The point is, inspiration strikes at any time, any where, whether you're ready for it or not.

Such is life.

But, something happened the other night, something that's pretty rare, at least for me.

I saw the entire story, from the beginning scene, to the end credits...it was all there.

And I couldn't fall back to sleep for a couple of hours.

Truth be told, I've had the bones of the story in my head for some time. The main character, the main conflict, the pivotal scene, the resolution, but it's the details that trip me up, the small things that can be huge stumbling blocks when it comes time to write it all down.

I'm sure the time of the night helped heighten my enthusiasm for my story. In addition to ideas hitting me in the middle of the night, I think those ideas are brilliant. Something about the middle of the night makes ideas sound better than they are. Perhaps that's why so many bad decisions are made when we're supposed to be sleeping.

It had been so long since I opened Final Draft, that I had to re-install it, but I'm determined to write this sucker. This time, I can't use my often-used excuse, "I don't have the whole story figured out."

Nope, not this time.

Stepping Away From The Writing Group...Kind Of Sucks

 I took a three-week break, then I realized...

I needed more time.

How much more? I don't know, but I found that I couldn't stay in the group and continue the way I was going. It wasn't fair for them, or for me.

And it sucks.

It took me several years to join another writing group. Granted, I wasn't actively seeking a group, but when I heard about this one, I jumped at the opportunity. I attended for only a couple of months. Oh, I had big plans. Joining the group would provide the peer pressure I needed to get my writing butt in gear and create something. I would hate to not be prepared come Thursday nights. Also, I find I work better under pressure, and by that I mean, I will actually write something.

And I did write stuff. Turns out, the stuff I wrote wasn't very good. 

I can almost hear the responses. "Duh! That's why you need to stay in the group!" That's a valid point, but the reason the writing wasn't good is because it was lazy. I was throwing stuff together a day or two before the deadline and running with it. I knew it was subpar, but I submitted it anyway.

Recently, I listened to The Writer's Dojo podcast. One particular subject dealt with writing groups. Something they said hit home. They talked about respecting the other members of the group, respecting their time. I realized I wasn't doing that. Maybe they don't think so, but I feel I wasted their time.

I told the group I needed to step away for awhile. I should have been more committed, better prepared. I owe the other writers, and myself that. I realize there might not be an opening when I'm ready to return, and that's okay. Things seem to work out for the best when the motive is true. Yes, stepping away stinks, but it was needed. Let's see what the future brings.

Happy Birthday...To A Fun Little Story

 I don't think I'll ever forget January 16th. It's my dear friend's birthday, and also the birthday of my little novel. It's been on the market for three years.

A lot has happened in those three years. The world has gone crazy and all that entails. I've met many authors, and tried to further my craft. Writing is insane sometimes--well, most times. Because I'm not writing stories every day, they basically don't get written. They're still swirling in the brain, sometimes they swirl faster, and sometimes slower, but always in motion.

You would think that with the stories in motion as they are, getting them recorded would be easier. And, I suppose, for some, it is. For me, it takes longer. Many set goals for the new year. I have dusted off a story I'm about 1/2 to 2/3 done. Right now, it's in editing phase for basically two reasons. 1-to clean up my writings from back in 2013, and 2-to remember the story.

If I dig deep (and find an ending I like...), I should have the story done in a few months, that is, if I work on it every day. That's a very doable goal. Yes, my initial novel came out three years ago today. Since then I've had a few short stories published in anthologies. I've been very fortunate. Now, I just need to produce things for people to read.

Time to work on the swirls.