“July 2006, I wrote a quick note in my ‘new ideas’ folder. Everyone is born a hundred times. Past lives, past loves–all are kept in boxes, safe where the souls can find them when they’re reborn. Everyone knows each other, whether they are enemies or friends. Everything is ordered. There are no new souls. Except Lana. Then I tucked it away and didn’t think about it until October 2009 when I renamed the main character, ditched the silly boxes thing, and started making notes so I could write ERIN INCARNATE. Several synopses later, I realized it was a trilogy.”
“I want to believe I can be like all those writers whose plot lines, character development, sub plots and nifty twists at the end of the story get spun out of thin air like Rumpelstiltskin spinning straw into gold. My straw doesn’t turn into gold, it’s still straw. Dang.”The “magic” that Shannon discovered to turn her straw into gold was none other than outlining. Her post reminded me of the excellent chapter about outlining that Terry Brooks gives in his book Sometimes the Magic Works, and his “ten-word formula for success”:
“Read. Read. Read. Outline. Outline. Outline. Write. Write. Write. Repeat.”
Angela, thank you! I know what it's like to find a little inspiration just when I need it, so I'm glad I could do that for someone else. :)
Welcome to SheWrites!
~ Lisa
Thanks for this inspiring post! I needed a little inspiration this morning :)