A Writer’s Friend

There is something every romance writer needs – a friend to bounce ideas off. Being a writer is a solitary profession. We sit cloistered in our work space – be it an office or somewhere else – all alone. Except, of course, for the characters rolling around inside our heads demanding escape. Writers all know this aloneness is part of the job. We acknowledge this need. We accept it. We may even relish it. But occasionally, that ideal of aloneness might backfire on us.

Dark Days! Where Is My Muse?

Over the last few months my muse deserted me. I struggled to encourage her return, but she remained stubbornly absent. The times I sat at the computer, devoid of inspiration, grew along with my frustration. Defeatist thoughts began filling my head. Should I give up writing? Had I used up whatever imagination I possessed? Did I only have those few books inside me?

But I wasn’t ready to give up writing. The idea scared the living daylights out of me. What on earth would I do with my time if writing wasn’t part of my day? I felt so aimless because I couldn’t concentrate on the story I was hoping to write. I dreaded making the decision to put it aside and start something new. Would I ever return to the discarded story, which I thought had a very good premise?

Getting Out Of The Doldrums

However spending a few days with a good friend has changed all that negativity. Her interest in my writing has been long standing. She spent some hours of her holiday with us in Maryland editing “Worlds Apart” for me so she has been instrumental in helping me prior to this week.

We began our writing related interaction with her abrupt query “what do you mean your muse has deserted you?”. In the hope that some good would come from talking I launched into an explanation about my lack of inspiration to take my story forward. Within moments she had pen and paper and was scribbling plot points as I outlined them. Very soon we had progressed beyond the plot I had envisaged for my story and we had a couple a pages of further ideas.

I’d always known having someone with similar reading tastes to brainstorm with could make the process of writing a story easier but in this technological world often our friends are physically far away from us. I’m so grateful to have been able to spend such quality time – for me – with my friend these last few days. Her enthusiasm has placed my muse firmly back on my shoulder. Thanks Angela.

Let’s Go! I’m ready.