Stephen writes (King, 2000):
"My first original story idea —you always know the first one, I think— "
"There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally
from nowhere,"
Did you know or understand your first story?
My stories came out of the blue; I was initially unsure how to start WRITING.
Should I type it out on my laptop? Should I dictate it? No, I just sat down with a pen and paper, and off we went...There is a tether between writer and pen. The pen (or pencil! 🙂) is motion, creating action.
I write best at different times throughout the day, with bursts of energy in the morning and late evening. I will try to write it all out, then go back and edit it or move ideas around. My children's book series was right there, all the stories in a line at once, almost magic, leading me into the next chapter. It was surprising and fun! As the characters develop, I take more time planning their path to ensure I have an arc that fits with my premise. I found most of my inspiration from Nature. My children's books are Nature themed; I feel strongly connected to the environment, which infuses my work.
I have been accepted to a few reputable self-publishing companies; however, I have declined self-publishing for now because I believe in my work and feel it is worthy. To believe in oneself and have hope is to wait for the right opportunity. Stephen King began his career with small Publishers, sending in stories for $25.00, yet these smaller stories were stepping stones. All great storytellers begin at the beginning. Recently I was Saturday bumming through farmers markets and ran across a book published by the Detective Book Club Press (great name!). I think back to those writers in the early 1920s, dreaming of connecting to people they would never meet. Nowadays, I think it's challenging to get off the ground, so to speak, and I have begun to consider starting my own publishing press. The struggle of writing the perfect story reaches throughout centuries and is life and memory.
I look forward to connecting and happy writing!