Monday 7 December 2015

Bitten by the writing bug...


If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen over the weekend I was struck by inspiration for a certain scene while I was taking a shower (what is it about showers and being hit with inspiration to write?? Is it because you can't physically get to a computer/pen and paper??). I wasn't planning on doing much writing over the weekend as I wasn't feeling my best, but I thought I might as well write it down and see what happened.

All I can say is wow.

I don't know what's been going on in my subconscious brain, but once I wrote that scene I just couldn't stop. All weekend I've been thinking about this particular character and his story. I've been mapping out his world, other major characters have popped into my head (almost) fully formed, and incredibly, I already know how I want the story to end. I spent most of my free time on Sunday doing research into the kind of world I want to set this story in and making up names for the different places. It was insane.

Last night I couldn't sleep - mainly because I was too warm (there's something I never thought I'd say in December), but also because this character literally wouldn't get out of my brain. So I started writing - again. My laptop wasn't to hand so I wrote out another scene on my phone, as well as making as many notes as I could, while my brain fired them off at me almost too fast for me to process. I finally had to stop - I thought I was being all quiet and covert, until the Engineer rolled over and wanted to know what I was doing as the light my my phone was keeping him awake. So I grudgingly had to call it a day. But all day at work today I've been looking at the clock, itching to come home so I can get writing again.

I don't have a proper outline for this novel. I don't even have any kind of plan. If you've been following my blog, you'll know how unusual this is for me, but I can't explain it - having no plan just feels...right. I don't know all the ins and outs of this story yet, but the excitement I get when I think about discovering more about this world is just amazing. All I'm planning to do is write whatever scenes pop into my head and just roll with it. In fact, I might even draw a map of this new world tonight, which again, is something I've never done before but I'm so excited to try out. Luckily, the Engineer is away on business until Thursday, so this week I'm literally just planning on writing as much of this story as I can, while this inspiration and enthusiasm lasts.

At this moment, I don't even know if I'm going to turn this into a full novel. I might get halfway through and realise it's not working, or that I've run out of steam. But strangely, this doesn't make me want to stop. If anything, I want to write more. Because even if this ends up being nothing, I'll still be a better writer than I was before I started writing it - after all, practice makes perfect! And there's something incredibly liberating about writing simply for yourself - it's like there are no limitations on what I can or can't write, because at this moment in time, I'm not planning on sharing it with anyone.

So that's my news - I've got my tea and my cake and I'm off to write until I can't prop my eyes open anymore (which may be sooner than I'd like, as I barely got any sleep last night). But despite how tired I am, I still can't wait to get going!

Hope you're all having a good Monday!

Have you been bitten by the writing bug recently? Have you ever thought of a story that you simply HAD to write right then and there? How's your writing going this week?

11 comments:

  1. That's funny because I get the best ideas while showering too.

    It's great that you were bitten by the writing bug! I hope it sticks around. I had been doing good but I think the venom from my writing bug is fading.

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    1. How odd! Showers are obviously the place to be for inspiration! Thank you :)! I hope it stays for a little while longer. Oh no, I hope you get bitten again soon! (by the writing bug that is, not by anything else)

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  2. Fabulous! You write that story, even if it's just for you. You've wanted some inspiration for so long and now you have finally found it. I haven't felt that passionate about a project in a while. I remember feeling that excited about my first book, but not since:( Wishing you many more inspired writing days to come.

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    1. Thank you, Murees :)! I don't remember feeling this intensely about my first book, but I guess I must've at some point or I never would've written it! I hope the writing bug strikes you soon :)!

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  3. That's great news, how exciting. Hope the momentum continues, happy writing :)

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    1. Thank you, Suzanne :)! Let's hope it continues!

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  4. Hi Rachel! I'm new to your blog. Just wanted to say that I had a similar experience about a week ago. And I could not shake it! It's definitely exciting and reminds me why--no matter how hard it is to write a novel--that I can't escape stories that need to be told. :)

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    1. Hi Anna! Thanks so much for stopping by :)! That's great news!! I hope the writing fever continues for you too :)

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  5. I LOVE it when a story takes on a life of its own and DEMANDS to be written. I've got one of those battling with my deadline pieces right now, and I'm totally ignoring my deadline pieces. (Shhh! Don't tell my publisher.)

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    1. Haha, Crystal! I won't tell anyone ;) - sometimes you've just got to get that one story out of your system first!

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  6. Congratulations. That's an awesome feeling! I heard once that the reason we have great ideas while in the shower has something to do with water...ionization? I don't understand it all but supposedly it stimulates creativity. I do know that when I'm stumped, either a shower or a long walk will get my brain going every time!

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I love chatting and meeting new people :). Thanks for stopping by!

 
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