How to Ride That Wave: Story Inspiration is Everywhere
Recently I shared about the Mythulu cards I’ve recently started using for story inspiration and I LOVE them.
Several of you told me of decks you use that inspire you with your fiction. So cool! I hadn’t heard of some of them. Thank so much for sharing!
When I first starting out as a novelist I had no idea how to develop an idea into a story. All I could do was write down my ideas. But inside I was burning and yearning to know how to develop them into a story, a novel, a big fat book readers could get happily lost in.
Then I discovered a book that guided me through a story writing process (The Weekend Novelist — I list this book as one of my top 12 favorites) and I took the plunge — wrote parts of my story throughout the year, following my new guide wherever it took me.
I finally finished that first novel, after 5 years. I learned a lot, like how I didn’t really like writing historical fiction though I love history. But… yes, there is a but…
The writing process was exhilarating, yet I still didn’t understand what as story was, and especially how to create conflict.
I went in search of more tools and inspiration.
I asked myself, “What kind of story do I really want to write?”
And the answer was, “Adventure with magic!”
Just like I read and sought out as a child.
I took what was truly useful for me from The Weekend Novelist (this plot outlining tool) and set about following my heart drafting a new story.
You see, writing and more importantly finishing that first novel unleashed in me the desire to write another book. It was like holding then shaping fire — a scary and exhilarating experience.
I wanted more of that.
Now 16 novels under my belt I’m still hungry to craft that wonderful experience for my readers, to weave the magic of story into a world my readers will get lost in, and I will too.
The drive to create, to make manifest, is what led me to create a business helping writers, and eventually to start my school for fiction writers now in its 5th year.
July 14th is when I official declared to myself and to the local municipality “Open for Business.” That was 13 years ago.
I want for you to ride that wave of exhilaration all the way to “The End” of your story, for you to see your readers light up with joy and delight when they hold your book in their hands, for you to find the secret doorway into your joy of crafting and shaping your stories.
That is why I’m running a 50% off sale for the whole of July at Barany School of Fiction.
All the juicy details here: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2019/07/01/amazing-july-sale-for-fiction-writers/.
