Friday, July 23, 2010

So often creative people try to pin down what’s in their mind or create thoughts that aren’t there. As a writer, I’ve learned that it’s better to let inspiration come in whatever form it wants, not try to force my will or figure out the absolute meaning of things.

When I try to have my writing fall into my timeline or reveal itself when I want it to, what I end up generating feels contrived and ends up sounding forced. Take, for example, what I’ve been working on for the past week or so.

Since I began writing the third book in the Little Girl Lost Trilogy, I knew there were some additional scenes and chapters that would end up being added to what I’d already written. Did I stress about the fact that they hadn’t presented themselves to me to be written? No.

Instead, I proceeded onward with the story and let the missing parts come together in their own time. By doing so, what was born was much richer and more complete than if I’d forced it earlier. The newly generated pieces showed the true feelings of my characters and revealed things that not even I, as the writer, was aware of before they were written.

I think that’s one of the aspects I enjoy most about allowing writing to generate in its own time—the ability to savor the feelings brought out in the process, those of wonder, surprise, sorrow, happiness, rejoicing, etc.