Original Post Feb. 3, 2012
I currently have six manuscripts in various stages of completion and ideas for at least six beyond that. When one of my manuscripts speaks to me that is the one I work on. I will do this until one takes the lead, pushes to the forefront and demands to be next. At this point it seems as though my Kentucky book will be next as it is the one that keeps letting itself be heard. It is a quirky romantic comedy with an Elvis impersonator and a clown. The problem is the clown is not really into Elvis and my Elvis impersonator is afraid of clowns. They just met for the first time and I am looking forward to seeing what happens after the initial meeting because at this point I really don’t have a clue. I do not know what it will be that will finally make them fall in love. I only know that it will happen. It has to happen. It is a romance after all…
I am sure there are writers out there that would balk at my not having a story board. Of not knowing what happens from start to finish and in every chapter in-between. I have tried writing like that and each time the story has deviated way off the path, not coming anywhere close to what I had outlined. I figure this is bigger than me and that whoever is guiding me knows what they are doing. It has worked thus far, so I am going to wait and see what happens. I find it exciting to learn what happens as I go. It always amazes me when I find out something about a character that I did not know. It is much like discovering a secret the character had kept hidden until that very moment.
Sure I have certain ideas that flash in my mind, and play out like a movie (yes that is cool), but I never know when I am expected to insert them into the story until it is time. That happened in yesterday’s chapter. I thought it was going to go in one direction and was trying to figure out how to get there. All of the sudden it took a left turn and went someplace that I was surprised to see it go. The best part is when it gets there it usually makes perfect sense, making me wonder why I did not think of that.
Did that last line confuse you? It probably did if you have not read any of my blogs in the past. You see, I firmly believe that I have help when it comes to writing. That is the only explanation I have for this gift I have been given. It explains why I do not know things until I put them on paper. It explains why sometimes my books do not sound like me. Why a word that I have never used or in some cases have never even heard will appear out of the blue to be used at that particular time. Most of the time I do not know what the word means and in some cases I have no idea how to spell it, yet I know that it is the perfect word to use that that specific time.
I have told this to my husband many times and at first he did not understand. Then after my first novel came out and he finally read it-yes he waits until after the release to read them- he then looked at me and told me he finally understood. He said “I am reading this book and all the while I think… there is no-way you wrote this. You don’t talk like this. You don’t use words like this.” I just smile, and say see, I told you so!
Have a great week, and if you get the chance, pick up a copy of my newest book, The Scars Between Us. My guides really, hit the ball out of the park on this one. And as you can tell my editor does not edit my blog posts, because I assure you if she did, she would have totally crossed off that last cliché!
Sherry A Burton | 1 Comment | Share Article | Print Article View Printer Friendly Version
Email Article to Friend
Reader Comments (1) Hahaha! Sometimes cliches work - and in this case I would have left it in. Though I might have shifted a few commas here and there. ;)
February 3, 2012 | Michelle L. Johnson
I currently have six manuscripts in various stages of completion and ideas for at least six beyond that. When one of my manuscripts speaks to me that is the one I work on. I will do this until one takes the lead, pushes to the forefront and demands to be next. At this point it seems as though my Kentucky book will be next as it is the one that keeps letting itself be heard. It is a quirky romantic comedy with an Elvis impersonator and a clown. The problem is the clown is not really into Elvis and my Elvis impersonator is afraid of clowns. They just met for the first time and I am looking forward to seeing what happens after the initial meeting because at this point I really don’t have a clue. I do not know what it will be that will finally make them fall in love. I only know that it will happen. It has to happen. It is a romance after all…
I am sure there are writers out there that would balk at my not having a story board. Of not knowing what happens from start to finish and in every chapter in-between. I have tried writing like that and each time the story has deviated way off the path, not coming anywhere close to what I had outlined. I figure this is bigger than me and that whoever is guiding me knows what they are doing. It has worked thus far, so I am going to wait and see what happens. I find it exciting to learn what happens as I go. It always amazes me when I find out something about a character that I did not know. It is much like discovering a secret the character had kept hidden until that very moment.
Sure I have certain ideas that flash in my mind, and play out like a movie (yes that is cool), but I never know when I am expected to insert them into the story until it is time. That happened in yesterday’s chapter. I thought it was going to go in one direction and was trying to figure out how to get there. All of the sudden it took a left turn and went someplace that I was surprised to see it go. The best part is when it gets there it usually makes perfect sense, making me wonder why I did not think of that.
Did that last line confuse you? It probably did if you have not read any of my blogs in the past. You see, I firmly believe that I have help when it comes to writing. That is the only explanation I have for this gift I have been given. It explains why I do not know things until I put them on paper. It explains why sometimes my books do not sound like me. Why a word that I have never used or in some cases have never even heard will appear out of the blue to be used at that particular time. Most of the time I do not know what the word means and in some cases I have no idea how to spell it, yet I know that it is the perfect word to use that that specific time.
I have told this to my husband many times and at first he did not understand. Then after my first novel came out and he finally read it-yes he waits until after the release to read them- he then looked at me and told me he finally understood. He said “I am reading this book and all the while I think… there is no-way you wrote this. You don’t talk like this. You don’t use words like this.” I just smile, and say see, I told you so!
Have a great week, and if you get the chance, pick up a copy of my newest book, The Scars Between Us. My guides really, hit the ball out of the park on this one. And as you can tell my editor does not edit my blog posts, because I assure you if she did, she would have totally crossed off that last cliché!
Sherry A Burton | 1 Comment | Share Article | Print Article View Printer Friendly Version
Email Article to Friend
Reader Comments (1) Hahaha! Sometimes cliches work - and in this case I would have left it in. Though I might have shifted a few commas here and there. ;)
February 3, 2012 | Michelle L. Johnson
RSS Feed
