I had written narratives of the characters, description of the location, background of their history- everything but a story. For months this had gone on, while I fretted that nothing new was occurring to me, that it all seemed so dry and stale. Been there, done that. Until one late night that turned into sleepless agony and it all became very clear. I was not going to write a sequel to SOWN IN TEARS, not continue the saga of Leah, her children, her brothers, her former loves. I had not figured out a story-line because I had nothing left to say about them, at least for now. But miraculously I had a totally new idea (still no definite story) and it was a bit more contemporary than early 1900’s. It’s still a little fuzzy in my head, but very promising. No I’m not telling yet (what does it matter, I never believe that anyone is reading these blogs, if you are give me a sign) because talking about it helped to dry the old idea into dust. This time I’m keeping it quiet, mums the word. If creative inspiration doesn’t happen, it could be just a temporary writer’s block, or it could mean that you should move on. It’s hard to do when you don’t have anything to replace the idea with, but if the dry spell goes on too long, you begin to lose confidence and interest in writing. It starts to be a chore, not a passion. With any luck, you’ll have your own eureka moment, even if it does come in the middle of the night. The fact that it occurs in the midst of insomnia doesn’t make it any less valid.
