I’m drinking a perfect cup of tea and eating Saturday breakfast. Like always, Andy made it for me. Snuggled under a blanket with my laptop balanced on my knees, writing in the day. No plans for laundry or dusting or meal planning until later, much later. I’m burying myself in fiction, allowing the characters to siege my mind.
It’s quiet now, but not for long. Soon I will open my latest chapter. I will read it aloud and the characters will wake up. I will listen. They will talk. The words will wrap around each other, spinning a story. I’m learning to have faith in this process. To know it takes only a gentle tug on a line, a little nudge from a thought and the story will spark.
I’m learning to believe in myself as a storyteller.
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I love how you talk about your characters “waking up.” As teachers we have to help our students learn to wake up the characters in their mind, yet it takes great writing to make it happen.
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Wow, what a powerful last line! I think that the slice of life challenge is helping me believe in myself as a storyteller! 🙂
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Thought of you writing today. Does it take time to fall in the love with the process as you have? Just curious, mentor. 🙂
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So glad you are able to write. I hope you are nspired by today. And give kuddos to Andy – what a great guy! Enjoy.
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It’s great to hear the thought of waking up the characters, then listening to them. It’s inspiring that you are now working in fiction after all else that you do, & have done.
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I can hardly wait to read it!!! What a great day!! Not that warm, but the sun is shining. Mmmm the tug, the spark–like this thought–going down in the WN. I am witnessing a book being written!!!! How good is that?
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When I read the part about it being quiet, but not for long, my thoughts went immediately to your children.
Hoping that today your characters spoke volumes to you through a gentle nudge!
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I believe in you as a story teller too. Enjoy your time.
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This is very inspiring. Thank you for sharing this!
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I love this slice, but particularly these lines “I will read it aloud and the characters will wake up. I will listen. They will talk. ” You are brave to write fiction!
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I can tell a piece is getting there when I don’t cringe or flinch when I read it back! Are all writers fragile? Do you ever get so that you know you are a writer for real and don’t always worry what someone is thinking ‘she thinks she’s a writer?’ Maybe you need to start as a kid knowing you are a writer.
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Sounds like a perfect Saturday morning–loved the intimate feel of your slice and hope you are knee-deep in the story by now.
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You’re such a wondeful storyteller, Ruth, but I know how hard it is to start believing that yourself. And Ruth Ferris’ fears are ones I share. I love the feel of this slice, the warm, cozy privateness of your writing time (and the nurturing gift of someone fixing breakfast for you!).
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The last part of your slice – to believe in myself as a storyteller. – Wow! You express what scares me. What if I go fishing an nothing bites? What if after fishing no one laughs? For me that line is a very big challenge.
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I am looking forward to hearing a bit more about your book. (Maybe you’ve already mentioned it and I missed it?) I feellike it’s a risk to simply share a small slice of life– it must be scary-yet exhilerating- to write a whole novel! Kudos to you! Enjoy your time with your fictional friends today!
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I love the feeling you have created – the peacefulness and the anticipation. It is so fascinating to read your last sentence. You seem to be at ease with words. I tend to forget that most authors are fragile.
Have a sparkly storytelling Saturday,
Terje
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