People often ask me where I come up with the ideas for my stories -- is it a character that develops in the back of my mind, or is it a circumstance? Actually, it's both. They sort of evolve concurrently. It could be a smile on the lips of lovers, or a forlorn look of someone who seems to have received some bad news. The triggers vary, and that's why I'm on alert so I don't miss them. Often, words in a song will evoke a picture in my mind of the people portrayed and I wonder what circumstances surround them. At other times, I observe something and my mind begins to question "what if?" For instance, "Leaves in the Wind" was the result of watching a little girl trying to cross a busy street without a crossing guard. I wondered what made her late, where were her parents, what would happen if she was hit by a car. Those ideas took seed in my imagination until one day I started writing and the little girl came forth to tell me her story.
Recently, I've found it very useful to interview my characters. I ask them to tell me about themselves and how they feel about certain topics, i.e., relationships with the opposite sex, etc. Through their answers, I get to know them. You'd be amazed how much you can find out if you just let your thoughts drift and write down whatever comes to you. By the time I begin to write my story, I already know how they'll react to certain circumstances and it makes them real in my mind.
Coming up with ideas for a storyline is really not that difficult. The hard part is putting it down on paper in an interesting way that snatches the audience's attention and keeps it all throughout the book. Most people have ideas, Writing a book seems easy. So does parenthood and riding a horse. But you soon find out that nothing is ever as easy as it appears and there are skills that must be learned before you become proficient in any endeavor.
I am learning every day...whether it is by trial and error, observing how others handle certain scenarios, or hearing critiques of my writing and realizing that my "baby" still has a way to develop before I can share it with the world. I truly hope that I can improve a little every step along the way because I believe in the long run, my readers will benefit.
About Me
- Author Gail DeYoung
- Southeast, Florida, United States
- I've had a love affair with books since I was a little girl. Once I discovered that stories could take me to amazing worlds where heroes and heroines could tackle insurmountable odds and yet live happily ever after, I was hooked. My overactive imagination always questions "what if?" and I often daydream about scenarios for the next story. Living in South Florida is a dream I fulfilled. For many years now, the balmy breezes, palm trees and surf crashing upon the shoreline have satisfied my soul. They often show up as settings for my stories. I used to say that I'd try anything once, but that was before some suggested skydiving, mountain climbing and swimming with sharks. Nowadays, I prefer the comfort of my chair in front of my computer where the most dangerous thing I face is writer's block. I let my characters tackle the impossible challenges and all I have to do is make sure they have a happy ending. I welcome readers to explore the fantastic world of my imagination where anything is possible and most likely will happen. Look for my books and e-books at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other fine e-tailers
My Website gaildeyoung.com
Click on this picture to take you there
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