I'm working on something that is extremely challenging for me in a number of ways. The book can be emotionally exhausting at times. It angers me, shocks me, makes me cry and yet I push on because I must tell this story.
I've been praying a lot about it, too. Asking God for His guidance and to give me the strength I need to pull these threads together. I'm a double-rainbow-kind-of-girl, so fitting the dysfunctional pieces of one life with that of another life has been my most challenging work yet.
Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love this work. The characters are people to me and I want them to be happy and it bothers me that I can't make them happy. Now I know what you're thinking. Well, you're the writer. Make that happen. But that's not how it works for me. The characters show me the way and sometimes, well, sometimes I don't much like where they take me.
Do you ever feel like this? Please tell me I'm not the only weird one out there.
I know. I struggled for a long time with not making things hard enough for my characters. But it made the story boring. So even though it's hard, it sounds like you're on the right track.
ReplyDeleteI actually think it's best that your characters are really going through it. Like Natalie said, if things are too easy, if problems get resolved too quickly, if relationships are too harmonious, if misunderstandings are easily resolved, if forgiveness and redemption are cheap--then you won't have much of a story. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteYeah, sometimes I want to back track and make the bad things go away. But...then i wouldn't have a story. Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteTotally. It IS exhausting, but it's a good exhausting. The opposite would be no connection with your characters. I'd much prefer the emotional ups and downs involved with writing an excellent story.
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