Discovery

I like the discovery process.  For me it is a magical time of getting to know my characters. I go to Michael's or The Dollar Store and just wander around to see if anything calls to me.  

 

I start with a blank board and shelf.

 

 

 

Then I put a collage together of my characters and things that they might like.  The bulletin board sits just over my desk. 

 

For one story I put together a scrap book. Since it was in the summer I wanted to have something portable so I could write at the park or in the backyard and have all the info at my finger tips.  

The beauty of the discovery process is that you never know what might jump out at you. When I was wandering through Michael's one day I realized that my story would have a cat in it. 

This is Spot the stripped cat. 

 

What's the strangest thing discovery offered to you?


Craft

 

I like reading Stephen King and when he came out with a book on the craft of writing I bought it right away. 

(credit)

I think it is a great book and I loved revisiting it. Here are a few of my take aways:

"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot."

Alrighty then. 
"Honey, I'm not ignoring you I'm just following orders."  Oh yeah.  I like it.


"By the time I was fourteen … the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and kept on writing."

I've always loved this about Stephen King.  It wasn't "What if I get rejected?" It was acceptance that it would happen and when the nail wasn't sufficient enough he got a spike. 


How 'bout you?  Do you have a favorite writing book you fall back on when you need encouragement?

IWSG
Today is the first Wednesday of the month so it is time again for IWSG

 

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG).

They meet the first Wednesday of every month to encourage each other, share doubts and insecurities.

Thank you Alex J. Cavanaugh

You can go here to encourage other participants

 

Thanks to everyone who commented last month.  Your thoughts, suggestions and encouragement helped to get me through a rough patch.

 

This month I'm happy to report that I'm back on track and the words a flowing.

 

I'll keep it short as the A-Z Challenge is also underway.