I overslept and got a late start this morning, but I managed to do some revisions this afternoon for day 22 in my unofficial participation in National Novel Writing Month. I actually wouldn’t mind continuing, but I have a dog to walk and a grocery store to visit. We all know how that is.
In between work this morning, I found some words from Ellen Booraem, the author of The Unnameables, which I’ve mentioned a few times., on Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Cynsations blog. Ellen says that often, inspiration hits her most when her fingers are on the keys, and I couldn’t agree more.
As a journalist myself, I’ve also asked sources if I can call them again with more questions as other ideas might pop up after I’ve started to write. And working on this novel, I feel the same thing. When I’m stuck, I can get ideas while driving, in the shower, walking my dog (when I’m not reading a book) or wherever. But once I get going, it’s amazing to see character and action just flow through my fingers on the keyboard, seemingly without me even thinking about them.
I know all writers experience this, times when the story is writing itself and you feel more of a conduit than the author, just the storyteller speaking for the characters floating around in your head. Enjoy it. Use it.
All right, gotta go. My dog is pawing my leg.
Until tomorrow, Happy Thanksgiving and write on!
P.S. Ellen Booraem graciously agreed to do an interview for Day By Day Writer the other day, so look for it in the coming weeks. She’s a great writer, and her success story as a first-time author is inspiration to us all.
