Welcome back to Motivational Monday!
Have you ever been stuck in your book? You just can’t figure out where the story needs to go next? Maybe it’s a problem with what you’ve just written. Or maybe your characters don’t seem to want to go in the direction you want them to go. This is where supportive friends and family can help. Run the problem by them. They’re bound to come up with something you haven’t thought of yet.
My husband is a great supporter of my writing, thank goodness, but he’s a movie buff, not a reader. Still he’s seen almost every story ever told on film. He’ll say, “Well, in such and such a movie, they did this, but it would have also been cool if they had done that.” Both scenarios give me ideas that I can run with.
Once in a while I have coffee with a writer friend of mine. It’s great to talk only writing, with someone who understands the crazy life people in our profession live. He’s written a terrific book for writers, based on a monthly newsletter he’s been putting out for over fifteen years. Check out The Writer’s Edge: Techniques and Thoughts for Every Writer, by Mike Foley, on Amazon.com. It’s available in paperback and as an e-book, and it’s well worth the read! (I’m hoping to talk him into writing a blog or two on this website. Stay tuned.)
Aside from my knit group, hubby and friends (both writers and non-writers), who I can bounce ideas off of, my readers help me to be a better writer, through their comments and reviews. I appreciate all of the above, more than I can say. I sit and listen, with a pad of paper and a pen. Sometimes what is said sparks something else in my mind, and makes my story’s path clear again. I want to jump up and write, right away! (It’s so rude when I end a conversation, “Well, it’s been fun, but I gotta go now!)
A WORD OF CAUTION: You don’t want to talk over your entire book with anyone, as this can sometimes take the wind out of your story’s sails. Just mention where you’re having a problem. Talking with others can get you “jazzed” to write again. Give it a try, next time you hit a snag in your story.
Happy Reading and Writing to you all,
Jill-Ayn
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