The Process: A Writer’s Perspective

Guest post by: Marie Lavender

It starts with the seed of an idea. For a writer, it’s one of the most exciting parts of the book process. Perhaps it’s the flash of a scene in your mind, stemming from current events, something you read or witnessed in life. Or an object caught your interest, a mere speck of dust from the comet streaking across the night sky.

Suddenly, a plant has begun to grow. Scenes materialize in fits and starts, gradually forming a loose storyline. If you’re lucky, you know some of what might occur from the beginning. If that’s not the case, discovering each section of the whole is akin to the exhilaration of an archaeologist on her first dig. Soon enough, however, you’ve accumulated sufficient knowledge to get an idea of the overall picture. If the writer has any hope at all of finishing the project, he or she might consider writing an outline for the book.

Then begins the hard work. Diving into the project, writing based on an outline, allowing for changes based on the character’s whims, and, of course, researching so many aspects of the book that the writer’s head begins to spin. Comfort appears through items of sustenance – bottled water, coffee, hot chocolate, and herbal tea, a long forgotten yet half-eaten meal nearby and cookie crumbs on one’s fingertips. Intensity consumes you, your need to tell a character’s story your driving force. Not water, not food, not sleep – most writers in the midst of a project get very little of that. The writing continues while perched on sofas, in one’s bedroom, on the patio table outside during pleasant weather, or hunkered down at your computer, anywhere to help you focus on getting those final details down before time becomes your enemy. All the while, both family and pets make their presences known; daily demands abound, and most usually regard this ‘writer’ as an extraterrestrial. For who would willingly put themselves through such dire conditions?

At last, you lean back, amazed at what has happened. Time has indeed flown. The work is complete; the hard-won fight over. Perhaps it took a month, several months, a year or more, but alas, it is finished. You wrote a book.

Now you may bask in the glory of a job well done. Go out and celebrate. Have a wonderful meal, perhaps a drink, and relax.

Just remember…editing begins soon enough. Of course, not every journey is the same, but all of us end up in a similar place, the manuscript completed and a chance to look forward to the moment a book reaches readers.

The process itself is a writer’s joy and pain. A writer’s life. And we’d have it no other way.

About the Author:

Bestselling multi-genre author of UPON YOUR RETURN and 23 other books. March 2016 Empress of the Universe title – winner of the “Broken Heart” themed contest and the “I Love You” themed contest on Poetry Universe. SECOND CHANCE HEART and A LITTLE MAGICK placed in the TOP 10 on the 2015 P&E Readers’ Poll. Nominated in the TRR Readers’ Choice Awards for Winter 2015. Poetry winner of the 2015 PnPAuthors Contest. The Versatile Blogger Award for 2015. Honorable Mention in the 2014 BTS Red Carpet Book Awards. Finalist and Runner-up in the 2014 MARSocial’s Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader’s Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013 and 2014. Top 10 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for a little over twenty-five years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 24 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. She has also contributed to several multi-author anthologies. Her current series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Magick Series, The Blood at First Sight Series and The Code of Endhivar Series.

Links:

http://marielavender.com/
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http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
http://www.ambrosiainnovations.com/
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