Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Jumping for Joy

Paula lists 10 different (writing) occasions when she jumps for joy!

Yesterday at this time, I had no idea what to write for my ‘J’ post this week. I put a request on Facebook – and was overwhelmed with all the suggestions, which ranged from Jello to Juxtaposition. Many thanks to all my FB friends – who gave me enough ideas to write a year’s worth of J posts! Apologies that I couldn’t use them all.

The one that ‘jumped’ out at me was ‘Jumping for Joy’ – as I immediately thought of all the joyful moments that occur when I’m writing. Here are some of them:

1. When I see, hear, or read something that sows a seed in my mind for a story, a scene, or a character.

2. When the seed starts to grow and the basic outline of a story begins to take shape in my mind.

3. When my two main characters somehow ‘appear’ in my mind, waiting for me to get to know them as I start to write their story.

4. When a secondary character appears out of the blue, leaving me thinking ‘Where on earth did he/she come from?’

5. When the characters surprise me by revealing something about themselves or their past lives that I didn’t know.

6. When I realise that I, like my heroine, have fallen in love with the hero.

7. When I think I’m stuck on ‘what happens next?’ and the solution jumps into my mind, sometimes when I’m driving, or washing the dishes, or – as happened with ‘Irish Intrigue’- when a brainstorming friend says just 4 words that gave me the elusive answer I’d been searching for.

8. When I complete the first draft (after a lot of agonising and brain-searching) and get ready to revise, tweak, and polish the story until I’m happy with it.

9. When someone tells me I kept them awake because they couldn’t stop reading my story and I know I have created a ‘page-turner’.

10. When my Amazon ranking jumps up (meaning more sales) and/or when someone writes a glowing review of my book.

What makes you ‘jump for joy’?

8 comments:

  1. Even though you didn't choose my suggestion :) I love these! Being a writer is one thing that never fails to make me happy. Glad you feel the same.

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    1. The 'jumping for joy' moments more than compensate for the 'hard work' times when I'm wondering whether I'll ever get the story sorted out!

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  2. I love it when I get thumbs-up feedback, and when the story "takes over." The inner rush of joy is like admiring a sleeping newborn, and seeing the love of your life across a crowded room.

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    1. I'm sure every writer thrives on positive responses to their work. I know I do!

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  3. My first jumping for joy moment was when my first book was accepted, but all of the ones you mention, Paula, strike a chord. It has to be a good job when we have moments like this.

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    1. I was stunned speechless when my first novel was accepted as I couldn't actually believe it - but I can still remember the date - Saturday October 7th, 1967!

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  4. Writing definitely has a lot of jumping for joy moments. From that first contract to all that come after. Good reviews. Finishing a first draft. Getting a release date. I love that the cycle in endless.

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    1. You're right about the cycle, Debra, as every book gives us those special moments :-)

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