Sunday, March 4, 2007

Writing Fiction

Creating a novel is unlike any other writing experience I have had. The ideas seem to come in spurts, often late at night. New ideas change the flow of the story and sometimes require rewriting earlier parts to accommodate the new ideas. It is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle in that I am constantly looking for the right pieces to present my story to readers. Some of the characters I thought would be prominent early on have not even shown up in the story; others I thought would have small parts have had them grow and become especially important. I've created a brand new female character based on lengthy conversations with a writer friend who continually provides me with invaluable inspiration. I keep discovering new ways to present themes and provide subtle plot details which give strength and credibility (I hope) to the story as I create it. Every so often I am struck by a major new idea which does not always mean re-writing but does always mean more serious thought about how to reach a satisfying conclusion. What is most surprising to me is the number of old story ideas have reappeared in my writing and now seem to fit where they never did before. And so it goes..............

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