Something from nothing

The only bad thing about starting up a blog is getting used to the extra amount of time and effort I put into my writing. Before I began these posts, I would sit down and just let my story pour out of my fingers, but now after having already spent a while on my articles, I feel dry. The words don't come as easily as they used to and the characters seem as drained as I am. I think that's rather sad. I mean, if my goal is to attain author status I'm going to be spending many more hours a day on my craft than I do now and if I can't handle this tiny amount...whats going to happen in the future? Of course I'll never give up, I just need to continue working on it and eventually it will become second nature.  

One thing I've noticed having changed in the past year since I first started writing my book is the way I look at the world, especially nature. If it's a clear morning and the mountains are crystal clear with a fresh coat of snow on their crests or a tiny hummingbird knocks its beak against the glass at me, I think of a way to describe it in a way that would fit into my story. In other words, my imagination runs wild and wonderful and before I know it, I've come up with three or four detailed sentances. But then, in a split second, I see something else that I want to write about and forget all about the first! After weeks of getting frustrated by this continuous cycle and complaining about my twitchy memory, I recieved a beautiful little flowered notepad from my boyfriend; a place for all of my thoughts. So now whenever I come up with ideas or names, I whip it out of my purse and write them down.

Another strange thing about my writing is that, although I do have my own style (if somewhat tentatively), the books I read often find a way of influencing the events I am working on at the time. For example; If I have just completed a series about queens and princesses dabbling in magic while wolves roam the land as a window to another world, I am not surprised when I start writing about magical wolverine! Whenever this happens I go back and chop up everything on the page, squeezing it and molding it into something so different from its origin that it can no longer be recognized or tagged as anyone's work but my own. I know this is a good thing for the most part, but I worry about how difficult it is for me to come up with original plot and dialogue.Are they just skills I must focus on expanding, or am I doomed to struggle with them forever?

Despite my trouble with plot, character sketches have always been my area of expertise and enjoyment. Throughout my short history of story writing I have spent many days creating people from the inside out. I come up with their appearance based on their personality and more times than not, find myself altering their externalities as their views and ideas change over the course of the story line. That doesn't mean I make Jack's nose bigger because his sense of smell heightens, no. I give subtle hints as to the way they think and percieve their made up worlds. And never stereotypically. There's just something so incredibly satisfying about coming up with people that have never existed, giving them names and thoughts and opinions. Having them go places that are also fictional, do things I wish I could be doing or have relationships that I have yet to experience. It's all about imagination and making something from nothing. I get to play god of my little universe.

Well I think this post has proved its purpose already as I am again eager to continue writing my book! Mel is now at the turning point in the story that sends her on her journey, something that is so exciting to write about; I have a whole slew of great ideas! But alas, they will have to wait until tomorrow. Hopefully I can find some time to work on them, but the stars might have something else planned (I'm getting my first car!). So wish me luck :) and goodnight.