Maybe we writers are an insecure lot — or maybe it's just me — but as I write, I'm wondering if this manuscript is even worth the time. I like the story, but will thousands of others like it too?Maybe my time would be better spent learning to knit or working at a food bank.
Looking for the SIGN
I'm continually looking for that SIGN — the SIGN from the universe that I'm on the right track. Let me put this another way, I'm not looking for signs, I'm desperately searching for signs. I'm so desperate, I'll make them out of thin air if I have to.
Here are few of my recent SIGNS:
• My computer was open to my story when I sat down (of course, I was working on it when I left, so chances of this sign were pretty good).
• I'll be working on a working on a story and talk to someone who has the same name as one of my characters (I helps that I always have a character named Mike.)
• My favorite song comes on while I'm writing. (Helps to have LOTS of favorite songs.)
• At least one line comes easily that day.
• Lucky pennies. (Of course, I leave them so I can find them again and again.)
The Real SIGN
I realize that I fabricate most of my signs. But what can I do, I'm a SIGN junky.
That's why today is a big day. I had one — a SIGN! Not one I made up, but an honest-to-god SIGN. I was writing a scene in the story where a woman talks to a little spider and the spider leads her to a chamber. As I'm writing this, the tiniest spider you've ever seen slides down on his web and lands on my computer.
Is that a sign or what?!!
I picked him up and set him out of harms way, then wrote like crazy. This next manuscript is going to be great, I can feel it now.
Also, I might leave the window open (accidently, of course) to let a few more spiders in.
di
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3 comments:
Oh yeah I get the signs thing. I was working on a short piece recently, and struggling with it, then had that *aha!* moment and it just flowed.
It was interesting though because I was talking to my friend later and she pointed out that my 'aha!' moments seem to occur after I work on my outlines that I do when I'm stuck (I start jotting any and everything down on a piece of paper, then go back and organize it). So who knows it could just be my writerly OCD talking ;)
Thanks for the "outline" tip. Anything that gets the ideas flowing and the "aha!" moments happening more frequently. :-)
Yeah, it works kind of like a brainstorming session (just writing down *anything* that comes to mind, no editing until your done). Then if you get stuck later you can look back and go "Oh...well what about _____"
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