READER TURNED WRITER
I love to read, almost any genre will do-Mystery, Romance, Horror, Young Adult…
And I’m always making up stories in my head, mostly Romance. Guess you could say I’m a daydreamer.
But things changed one morning when I woke up from a dream (PG rated) that featured a very famous pro-football linebacker (who shall remain nameless). I was left with a thread of a story line that wouldn’t go away, no matter how many times I played it over in my head. That dream also left me with a feeling of sadness and longing that I just couldn’t shake.
It’s hard to describe the drive that started to take over my mind. I had to write this romance story, even though I had no experience as a writer. I could barely help my 8th grade daughter with her English homework.
When I finally decided to write, I was afraid and insecure. What if my creation makes people laugh instead of swoon? But I swallowed my fears and began.
First, I told others what I was going to do. My daughter was the first one to hear my story idea, and thankfully, she was encouraging. After that, I found it easier to talk about it with others.
Next, since part of my story dealt with the military, I needed to do research. I read several non-fiction books on the subjects that I would be dealing with in my story. I scribbled down tons of notes.
Finally, and this was the hardest part, I sat down and started spilling my heart onto a computer screen. I still had no idea where this idea would take me, but it didn’t matter. The journey had begun.
What idea sparked you to become a writer? Have you ever felt a desire, that came totally out of the blue, to try something new?
Laurie Winter 