Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Writing and Playgrounds


Writing is … fun. Writing is … work. Writing is … insane.

Writing is … play.

What is writing? All of the above.

But for me, it’s more a playground. Some fun, some kinda scary, and some nauseating. Remember the merry-go-round you’d push and push until you got so dizzy you feared the worst? That’s writing.

My Hex series is different since there’s a different witch in each book. Although I do bring the previous witches back just because I can’t let them go.

The book I’m working on now, The Best Hex Ever, is a playground of ups and downs. A lot of visits to the slides, swinging high and crawling through the multi-colored tunnels.

Witchy Maggie is a lot like Jazz, but she likes to blow things up more. Since she’s a Guardian for all creatures, she’s there to protect the weak and knock down the nasty. She does it very well too. She’s the fort you explore. Climbing to the top and looking out all sides to see something different. Always something new to find when you’re the adventuresome type.

Declan is a half fire demon that makes me think of the swings. You pump up and down (get your mind out of the gutter!) and your stomach does that whoosh! thing and you’re breathless all the time.

Maggie’s BFNWF (best female not witch friend) Sybil, who’s a calming Fae but also has the teeter-totter attitude in that while you feel relaxed around her anything can happen.

And Snips, Declan’s imp assistant who’s like one of the small animals you’ll ride. He’s so organized he’ll get your to your destination even if your imagination thinks you should be somewhere else.

Let’s add the messenger ferrets for the compound Maggie lives in. Highly caffeinated and mega attitude. They’re more like a nonstop game of tag.

That’s why when I talk about writing, I call it playing. I’m playing with my characters, not writing them.

We’ll have the playground all to ourselves where anything and everything can happen.

Lots of laughter, some tears (luckily, band-aids usually aren’t necessary), a need to stop and catch my breath.

Some days are rainy and gloomy, but the playground is always there with the sun shining. And other days the moon is full and there’s some sexy dancing going on there.

And when the writing goes tough, it’s easier to think of it this way than just slogging through it.

What about you? Do you try to view a task as more play than work to make it go easier?

Linda

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