Summer Fun

I’ve been thinking about how different Summer2012 has been from that of 2011. This time last year, I was hip deep in home improvements and paint, unpacking boxes and going through seven years of clutter. To say Summer 2011 was not a creative climate is to say the desert is a wee bit dry. Dry. My creative juices had all but evaporated and my DIY genes were in overdrive. One bathroom remodel and complete interior repaint later, and I was ready to climb back aboard the editing train. Summer 2011 was a writer’s nightmare. I couldn’t wait for September, back-to-school, and Halloween.

Thankfully, Summer 2012 has reminded me that I actually like the months between May and September. I’ve once again discovered the joys of research, of beginning a new project, of developing characters, plots, cultures, and languages.

 Starting a new story is like falling in love. Your heartbeat speeds up, you get butterflies in the belly, and a tingling in your extremities. You treasure every minute with your new love and are miserable when you’re apart. These feelings are what keep me writing. I can’t wait to see what happens next, what exciting plot point lies around the corner. I dream about the characters and am generally obsessed with this baby story. It feels just like new love. Now, if I could just bottle it and pull it out when I’m in the trenches fighting with edits!   

What keeps you writing? What do you enjoy most - the research? Or is it the story? How about characters? Which comes first the story or the players?