Saturday, September 19, 2009

As The Wheel Turns - Or Stops


Sometimes I picture my writing life as a spinning wheel. As I turn it, my ideas and words fill the spindle a thin strand at a time. Three weeks ago, I had an idea for a story and as I worked the wheel, the bare spindle slowly gained girth. Then the strands snapped. The wheel spun to a stop. I was plunged into a crisis of 24/7 care-giving. Forget fiction. Reality ruled.

How did I start to regain my writing life when the crisis was over?

My critique groups came to the rescue. This week I read and critiqued sections of two novels - an excellent way to reconstruct my writing frame of mind. Reading clever dialogue and vivid descriptions as I rooted for appealing three-dimensional characters inspired me. Thanks, fellow writers, I'm ready to return to writing.

Critique groups support you in obvious and not-so-obvious ways. Right?

5 comments:

  1. Crit buddies can be the best sources of inspiration and encouragement! Your group sounds like a good one. Congrats on getting back into a writing frame of mind.

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  2. I, too, was inspired by the great writing we critiqued on Friday. It's wonderful to be partnered with such talented writers.

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  3. Posted about being inspired by my critique group on Saturday and now it's Monday morning. Hope a wisp of that writing excitement will sustain me through this week.

    Bet it will. And if by chance, it doesn't, I know where to go to get help. Yes, MG, and Meg, where would we be without a critique group?

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  4. Support? Yes. encouragement? Yes, yes. Inspiration? Yes, yes, yes!

    I've learned so much from reading and critiquing everyone else's work. And been so inspired by it all.

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  5. It sounds like I missed a good meeting. Sigh.

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