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Writing Essentials: Writing when the muse has packed her bags, hitched a ride, and left the country

Last fall I got knocked flat on the couch for three months by morning sickness. I pretty much closed my eyes and waited for the first trimester to pass. Pass it did, and I was able to dip my toes back into somewhat normal life with the second trimester. Which meant getting upright and starting a new manuscript. I set the goal to have a new manuscript done before the new baby comes (because that's how writers nest, I guess?), and I sat down to start something new. And I sat. And I sat.

And I sat some more before typing the most boring first pages ever.

And then deleted the most boring first pages ever.

I had muscled through writing my last two manuscripts even on days when I didn't feel "inspired". But I've never sat down to write something without that spark compelling me to get it started.

So I turned to Seekerville for help. They have a great index of topics on their sidebar. One click on brainstorming and I had a great exercise to use.

Starting with my nebulous setting and two characters, I started writing down ideas. Any ideas for these characters and this setting. Some were ridiculous. Some were at odds with one another, and a whole bunch were just plain bad.

But by the end, I had two characters complete with backstories, a fully fleshed out plot with three turning points, and goal, motivation conflict for every step of the way.

And do you know how long it took? 20 minutes. And not only did I have it all plotted out, but I was excited- REALLY excited- to get started.

Now I'm two thirds of the way done with my first draft and that spark that had been missing before is still there. Not only is it there, but I can hardly wait to flip open my computer at nap time and get to work. (Which means I must love you all since I'm using nap time to blog instead of diving back into Blue Lake, Wyoming).

I found the muse and she's held captive, bound and gagged, not going anywhere any time soon. ;)

So that's my writing process for getting started when you don't know where to start. Or don't even really want to start. Not that that's ever happened to you, right?

Blessings!

Kris

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