Inspiration’s in the Wiring

I’ve been at this crazy business of writing for awhile now. As you know by now, it didn’t start out as a hobby for me… I jumped in with both feet. Put all my pens in one container and started.

Easy… nope.

Worth it… oh yeah!

Often the first question asked of a writer… “Where do the stories come from?”

For a long time I couldn’t answer that question. Mostly because I felt silly telling people that I simply wrote a romances I’d like to read. It wasn’t the book of my dreams or a story that had been nagging me to be told. It just was…

Well, now I’m *mumble grumble* years down the road and I have learned so much! Inspiration isn’t coming to me like a whisper in the night. (Though that would be okay if publishing angels wanted to steal into my dreams and sprinkle their fairy-dust of ideas over me.) I’ve worked hard to develop story ideas and learn the techniques of good writing.

I wonder after every series I finish if I have it in me to continue. The ideas don’t seem to be coming to me as I’d heard other authors mention. Many say they have more stories than they can write. That isn’t the case with me. Writing is like pulling the proverbial tooth, trying to find the next scene to carry the characters through the story.

Discouraging? … Sometimes!

But I am undaunted. I’ve persevered, pushed through the tough times and trained myself to stop thinking like a scientist (and cataloguing the world around me to use in lesson plans) and start thinking like a writer. Always with the “what if” right in the forefront of my conscience.

Now, I look at a situation or the little nugget of an idea and figure out how to create characters readers want to care about. My family has now become a little shy around me. I have to drag the latest gossip out of them …  they wouldn’t be thinking I’d ever repeat something … because they should know I wouldn’t necessarily … okay, I totally would use a good situation to start a story even if it involved my brother, his now hairless cat and a pair of snowshoes. (Oh, that is soooo going in a book!)

Being the analytical person that I am, I’ve noticed the change in my thinking process over the years. Everything I look at, and I do mean “everything” now gets tucked away in my brain files for potential use in a story. Who knew rewiring could cause the dam to explode and inspiration would surround me?

So, all of you readers out there … any interesting situations happened in your life that you think would make a great scene in a book? Any story characters you’ve always wanted to read about, but haven’t found on the book shelf?

Inquiring writers want to know.

And since I haven’t done one of these in awhile how about a
*** GIVEAWAY ***
Anyone commenting on this thread between now and midnight EDT SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3,2013 will be entered for a chance to win a print copy of my romantic suspense novel “HEALER’S GARDEN“. (Shipping to US or Canada only. An international winner would receive a $15 Amazon giftcard in lieu of print book.)
One winner will be chosen at random from all comments.