While
reflecting on my journey from intentional hopes of writing a novel to
the end result of actually having it completed and ready for publishing,
I've attempted to mentally note the ingredients needed to bring it all
about. I'm not a perfectionist when it comes to writing, I'm not a
grammatical genius, I don't have the intrinsic and unparalleled ability
to write a whole work in iambic pentameter or sing-songy sonnets. Holden
Caulfield, Elizabeth Bennet, Dorian Gray, my characters are not. But
they are mine and are a representation of the facets of life that make
me smile and motivate me, daily.
I
enjoy finding humour in the everyday, in random situations such as the
moment I fall face down on the subway stairs and the majority of the
manic crowd scurries and hurdles around or over me, all aside from a
young boy who helps me up with a cheeky grin on his face as if to say,
"Get it together, lady." I brush off my ensemble, pick up my purse,
thank him with a sheepish demeanor and swallow my pride, thankful that I
didn't become a tread-marked victim.
I
also incorporate emotion and am inspired by what I witness around me; A
gentle exchange between a couple at an adjacent table to my own, tears
shed over excitement or sadness in a given moment by a friend or
acquaintance. I delve into my own experience and, just as an actor does
when attempting to get into character, I find myself drawing on past
moments in order to relate to the possible emotions experienced by my
characters in a created scenario. It's through this vulnerability and by
chucking the fear aside of revisiting possibly negative, emotionally
charged moments that the best descriptions are created. The characters
come to life and are made identifiable, made real. Fear masks
creativity. Rip that mask off and just give 'er. Let go and create.
Of
course the most pertinent ingredient which allowed this creative spark
to result in a full manuscript involved one trait that often is a bit
absent from my days, unless a sizable fire is lit under my, by times,
lazy and sizable backside. In the past, when expected to complete a
task, of course determination is cranked to the max. However, when I
have expected something of myself, ' fits and bursts that dwindle to
nothingness' is the more appropriate way to describe its presence in my
days.
Determination has been the
key to the entire project. Of course some talent or skill is required,
of course a creative spark and remaining in touch with experience is
necessary, but without the big D, a project like this would be sunk
before it ever began sailing.
Fearless
determination with a hint of creativity, a pinch of nostalgia and
perhaps a dab of wit, a titch of an appreciation for the lighter side of
things, a smattering of zeal, a peppering of homegrown nuttiness and a
talent with words; there you have it, the ingredients for a debut novel
or any creative project YOU want to get underway.
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Thanks for hosting!
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