Spur me on!

My friends have come to realize I do not write in a linear fashion. In other words I am working on several projects at once.

I used to scold myself and not work on an idea when I was working on a project. However I've come to learn this only makes me not write. It does absolutely nothing to discipline - focus on my writing. It just doesn't work for me and beating myself up over it doesn't work either.

So when I'm inspired I write. I'm inspired daily btw. But not always on the same project. I'm also one of those people who read more than one book at a time. Also I have 4-6 windows open minimal on my pc at all times, because I'm a multitasker.

Well right now "Eshe's Naisance" is the project that has blown me away. I've only been editing it for the last few months, but my friend excited me. I think I mentioned that.

Today my writing has been rapid. I realized today I really missed the character Baruti. He's not been in several chapters I've been working on and today I realize that the interaction between Eshe and Baruti is what spurs me on in this story. So today I was able to reintroduce Baruti in chapter 25 and I started the chapter today and finished it tonight and started chapter 26 then realized I better head to bed.

However I'm so excited about getting this far and knowing the story is about to climax and come to it's conclusion has thrilled me so much I had to mark this occasion.

Writing Madness!

The last few days have come like a furious wind of inspiration. It's amazing to me how it all got started.

I've been working on a vampire story as many of my friends have heard me speak about. It's also a series of works that will inter-relate to each other. The first book basically sets up the series so it has been you could say my baby.

I've shared it with only a limited few. But it's not completed because although I know the direction I became stuck and so I gave it a rest while other stories began to filter through me.

Anyway there is two directions I could take the main character. I am at this turning point and it's also a reason for the stall. I listened to my friend speak so passionately about the characters that it actually made up my mind in what direction they will go in. Because I knew if I wrote one direction he'd be happy and so would a lot of other people and if I went in the opposite direction as I had been thinking of he'd be disappointed along with many other readers.

So I sit down and begin typing away and suddenly the words began to flow and the story moved in a very unexpected turn of events in my head. Something I hadn't even considered suddenly came full force in front of me and this actually brought the story full circle.

This is the stuff I love when I write. When the unexpected suddenly says HERE I AM and it works.

So I had just finished chapter 18 and had played with 19 a bit. Now I go back and edit chapters 17 - 19 and wrote 20, 21, 22, 23 and started 24 this morning! Woooo that's what I'm talking about! Inspiration and Writing Madness!

That's also why I've not blogged for a couple days. Between writing and family visiting from out of town I was kept quite busy!

I like busy. :)

Inspirational Music

I've already mentioned before about being inspired and inspiration. The last two days has been a bit fun. I've kinda made my rounds with unfinished stories. What started it was simply, I was speaking to one of the friends who has been pre-reading an unfinished story and he was so excited as he told me certain parts that it sparked me to work on this particular story.

Well I have a playlist of songs that when I started the story this is what set my story in motion with inspiration. So in my iTunes I have this playlist ready. I put it on and started reading the last few chapters and before I knew it I was editing and writing and wrote two chapters.

I'd forgotten how powerful my playlist is and how it really tunes me into my story. I have several inspiration playlist but this particular one is really what showed me how well it moves me. So I'm just gonna put a quick thank you to the band Disturbed. THANK YOU DISTURBED! THANKS FOR BEING MY MUSE! YOU ROCK!

Sharing

The last few months of been sharing with some trusted friends some of my unpublished work as I'm writing to get some feedback. Well the feedback has been positive, which is great.

What has surprised me was my reaction to theirs. There are moments when we begin to talk about the story or a specific section and one friend became so passionate about it I was shocked. Shocked he was so involved, it thrilled me. Another friend as we spoke it wasn't like I was discussing "My writing" instead we were both thrilled discussing the story. I was just as excited as she about the story.

It has been an amazing experience sharing with others these stories and to hear what they liked right along with what they don't like.

I had been writing on some teen fiction and my daughter was reading, I watched her face has she read and when her eyes lit up and she smiled as she read... I knew that was good. She writes too, so when she takes something I've written and adds it to her own stories with a twist I know that part was good. What better flattery is that?

So sharing here and there has been very good for this writers soul.

Too much info.

I'm not sure if other writers experience this. But the last two days my head is filled with multiple stories and dialogues. I was able to sit down and write a chapter in the Royal Assassin yesterday which was great. But my mind is just spinning with other stories.

I was taking a look at my incomplete stories that revolve around the world I created, Valantis. I have six that have been written but not complete and I have another eight that are ideas I've not yet started. But last night and today three more ideas for stories in Valantis came up.

So it feels like there are too many stories to write with not enough time. I have to wonder if this is one of my Gemini traits trying to assert itself.

Characters

I absolutely love how the characters come alive in my head. A fellow writer friend of mine shared a conversation together about how the characters some time expresses themselves in our head.

I was telling him while I was writing The Forgotten Assassin, the character Reis was the bad guy the whole first half of the book. I was planning on him being bad and I was writing that he was bad although he never actually appeared in the book. He was only mentioned by other characters. Just as soon as I introduce him he came straight out inside my head and said "Hey I'm not the bad guy here. Look how wonderful I started out. I'm not bad I'm great." Next thing I knew he was telling me his story and I knew I had to tell his side of the story and there was just no way I could do this in this book. So I began writing his story right away, which is the Royal Assassin.

When my friend and I were discussing this we both laughed because I truthfully do hear their voices in my head. They speak dialogues with other characters and this is what flows through my head. I see them and even feel their emotions sometimes when they go through certain situations. It happens while I'm writing while I'm walking in the store driving in the car. Every place.

We joked around because if you told someone you hear voices in your head they would seek out professional help for you. However you tell another writer and they nod understandingly. Because they hear their characters speak in their heads too.

So we aren't crazy - we're writers!

Inspiration

Inspiration comes in the strangest ways sometimes and then other times it's natural. I get inspired to write when I listen to music. I can listen to a certain song over and over as I write.

I've noticed at times the tempo of the music is often reflected in what I'm writing. Other times I write in total silence. One thing is for sure music is inspirational to me. When I find I'm a bit blocked. I put the earphones on and crank up the iPod and allow the inspiration to flow.

The shower or a long bath works too. I think fellow writers can attest that inspiration comes in different forms. Reading a book helps to get my juices flowing too, so many other authors inspire me to write. Also spending time to simply meditate helps. To calm my mind some times allows me the focus I need or it allows my inspiration to flow.

When it flows though it flows hard and fast. I've recently been putting out almost 20+ pages a day, which is amazing for me. But when you're inspired you simply must flow with it I figured out. So I no longer scold myself and say don't work on this project or that one, do this one instead. I work on what I'm inspired to work on. I work on what is flowing in my head and not what I "think" it should be. Because I end up deleting the stuff I force myself to write anyway because to me it's just doesn't flow right.

Blogging

I decided a few months back that it might be a good idea to create a blog about my writing. I have family and friends who ask often if not daily how my writing is going, so what better way to get the info out there.

So here I am new to all this blogging, so please keep that in mind as you read.