Please welcome my guest blogger for today, Velika Kapitanof of SuSu Publishing What does a writer need to do in order to write? Talk about
a loaded question and the answer is as unique as each writer. Looking back at
my development as a writer, I notice that my strategy depends on either my
surroundings or the topic, sometimes both. What I call strategy is how I tackle
the project at hand, i.e., do I create an outline, write bios for each of the
characters, or do I just start writing and let the content flow naturally? I’d
like to briefly expand on each – surroundings, strategy and topic. Surroundings
I’m sitting in my living room, with the large bay window
overlooking the park, and I notice that the sun has now been replaced by dark,
grey clouds. I automatically become more pensive as dark clouds naturally make
me blue. My natural instinct at this point is to grab a pen and paper and start
writing. What am I going to write about? I don’t really know as I usually let
my thoughts guide me. On this particularly gloomy day I realize that I usually do
the most writing during this kind of weather. When it’s bright and sunny,
I’m usually not moved to write. Sunny days usually inspire other things like
long walks along the beach, cleaning the house or creating a new recipe. In
other words, sunny days give me energy while cloudy days or, as my friend
Isabel calls them “fuzzy” days, inspire the writer in me. My observation has made me wonder what other writers are like.
What inspires other writers? Does their inspiration come from nature? Do they
do their best work while sitting at the computer or in front of a fire? We’ve
heard of great authors who seclude themselves in a cottage for months on end
because they want to write uninterrupted. Could it be that the scenes of nature
which usually surround the secluded location serve as their inspiration?
Strategy A friend recently asked me what she should do to get back
into writing. I gave her what seems to be a very practical response. I told her
to pick a topic, commit to a deadline and that the rest will follow. I realize
now that this was a very left-brain response. The advice I should have given
her, which I guess I’m giving now, is to listen to your thoughts and let them
guide you. Always keep pen and paper handy (you never know when genius will
strike), jot down your thoughts or questions and then when you are sitting in
your favorite chair, read them! You’ll be amazed at what you’ll see.
I have to admit that there are times when you just have to
write and can’t afford to wait for inspiration to strike. If you have a book
deal and the publisher is waiting, you may not have the luxury of putting off
your writing for a long time. Times like that, writers just start writing. No
matter how many times they erase, throw out and edit, they start writing and
keep on writing. Ironically, writing is the best antidote for writer’s block.
It may feel awkward but after awhile, creative juices start flowing.
Topic
Finally, I want to look at the question of whether the topic
affects the quality of a writer’s work. For instance, can a writer who has no
interest in science fiction write a great sci-fi novel? If they familiarize
themselves with the topic and write a compelling novel, would it be as
successful as a novel written by a sci-fi enthusiast? In order to answer this
fairly, we have to realize that there are many factors to consider. For
instance, is the storyline believable, have the characters been developed well,
does the story flow, and lastly, does the reader get a sense of the author’s
feeling, or bias, about the topic? We might be tempted to say that we do our
best work on topics we are passionate about; however, it might be that the
experience of writing on a favorite topic just feels more enjoyable, and we
pass that joy along to our readers.
The next time you sit down to write, take a look around you
and make a mental note of your surroundings. Is this a familiar scenario - do you always write in the
same place, time of day, in your favorite
comfy clothes, or is this setting out of the ordinary for you. Are you writing
out of necessity to meet a deadline or did you just get a flash of brilliance? What
is it about the topic that makes you want to write? Being aware of what brings out
your creative side is the best gift you can give yourself as a writer. Knowing
what works for you will be different than what works for anyone else, and if
you are able to tap into it for yourself there will be no stopping your
creative process. As for the question I pose in the title, What does weather have to do with writing?, the answer for me is
that cloudy weather makes me pensive which makes me write. The answer could be
completely different for you. Regardless of the answer, I invite you to create
whenever you feel inspired.
Susu Publishing is a new blog geared towards writers who
want to showcase their work as well as those who need a gentle nudge to get
started. Susu Publishing invites you to follow them: |