A Lot in Preparation

There is a lot in preparation, especially at this time of year. This year I was overly ambitious and decided to invite quite a bit of my family for the holidays. I realize there may be arguments, tense moments, fun times, tears and laughter. I may regret my decision momentarily but at the end of the day, I know I’ll be happy to see my family—at least this is what I’m hoping! In summary, I’m saying the preparation will be with the rewards I’ll reap.

Why does  this matter and what does this have to do with writing? Great question. The truth is that as I reflected on the season and all the preparation time I’m putting in, I couldn’t help but draw the parallels to other parts of my life. Writing is a lot of work and being the impatient person that I am, I’d much rather skip the preparation and jump right in. But there is a lot to be said for taking the time to research and plan before you write. Even in reading my own early works I wish I had planned out my “world” to a greater degree. You ever read a book that skips a round or seems to have gaping holes in the plot? Not fun, huh?

Moral of this blog? Yes preparation requires some extra effort but it just may be worth it. The next few weeks will be time I treasure with family and friends. Their happiness will make me happy. The same is true for writing. We all want readers to love our characters and worlds as much as we do. That take preparation for most of us.

Happy writing this week!

Filed under: A writer's life, romance, Toni Kelly