By Ali Cross
There’s nothing quite like the newness and wonder of working on a new project, when the ideas come at a frenetic pace and your mind is full of the possibilities. For me, that’s bliss.
When I first begin a project, I feel like I’m cracking open a good book. I’m thrilled to discover out what comes next, to see the characters reveal themselves and face their challenges.
The writing won’t always stay this way—at least it doesn’t for me.
At some point the need to put the story on paper will fade and I’ll have to hunt for the pieces, connecting the words that come in seemingly random patterns until they paint a picture.
Later, the hard work of editing and revising and making sense of all that I wrote the first time will keep this story alive in my mind for a long time. Later, I’ll bleed sweat and tears over the process of writing and completing a story, until I can finally say The End, and mean it.
For now though, I’m going to strap myself in and enjoy the wild ride of a newborn story. I live for this.
How about you? What’s your favorite part of writing?
4 comments:
I'm with you. I love it when a new idea comes and I brainstorm about what is going to happen and how it is all going to work. It's exciting - just like a new book - as you said. I wrote an outline for my WIP recently and I was so excited to see it all fall into place. Now as I try to put it down on paper I get so frustrated that it doesn't flow easily. I know what I want to say, but I get so frustrated that it comes out so clumsy.
Me too! Writing is absolutely exhilarating. Especially the beginning and the end of a book. It's the middle that's hard. But finishing--knowing it's truly finished (minus a few edits here and there if you happen to get a contract) is the most amazing part.
Good luck!
Great post, Ali. Oh, if only it could all be first drafts. I love those. When the writing is all yours, and it can be as crazy or self-indulgent or bizarre as you feel like making it, because no one is ever going to see it that way. Although eventually you really do have to get out the red pen, for the moment the writing is just for you, because you feel like it, because you want to, or need to, and it's pure creation, which is a delightful thing.
My other favorite part of writing: those moments of sudden inspiritation when a whole scene comes to you while you're doing something else--drifiting off to sleep, walking the dog, watching the kids swim, riding your bike--or you suddenly see the perfect way for all those pieces you've been fiddling and struggling with to come together like music.
I also love when the perfect ending dawns on you right at the beginning of the book, so you can write towards it--makes the middle so much easier.
This is one of my favorite parts too. I like finding new characters and new scenes. Sometimes, I hate losing the passion of a story but hopefully, I fall in love again.
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