How Trees Remind Me of Writing

I love trees—especially in the evening when the sun is low in the sky. And the play of light on the intricate symmetry of limbs and leaves reminds me of writing. Let me explain.

When likening my story to a tree, I begin at the base, sometimes in the light or sometimes in the dark. As I progress upward, leaves appear. Since I write romantic suspense, these would be clues or details necessary to move the story forward. Lower limbs are additional characters that are necessary to my protagonist’s jo...