“In writing, there is first a creating stage–a time you look for ideas, you explore, you cast around for what you want to say. Like the first phase of building, this creating stage is full of possibilities.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Its been a rough couple of months. I’ve lost two friends and a dog. I’ve traveled to Canada, New York, Denver, and Orlando. I’ve hosted an engagement party for 100 for my son and his lovely fiancé. They get married the first of next month in New Mexico.
The one thing I’ve not done is write. I’ve tried. I’ve plotted a new novel and a novella. I’ve come up with ideas for the revision of my first novel based on really great feedback from an editor. I’ve not written a word. Sitting in front of the computer to write is torture. What comes out is crap.
So I’ve gone back to the beginning. I’m following blogs by other authors on the craft of writing and leaving comments. I’m reading craft books: Donald Maass, Robert McKee, Michael Hauge, Deb Dixon, and others to improve my weaknesses.
I’m honing the plots and characters. Strengthening the motivation and conflict, hopefully making them better. I have notebooks full of notes, but not one manuscript.
It will come. I know it will. I can feel it. The joy in the process of creating a story is bubbling up to the surface again. I’m starting to put my old schedule back in place: writing something every night. This is the first of many nights to come. I’ve even started dreaming about stories again and have solved a few plot problems with this technique.
I don’t think my muse was really far away, just buried in all the emotions I’ve been through in these past six months. I’ll be happy to welcome it back. I’ve missed it. I’ve missed writing.
–amy