Threshold

There is a point during the writing process where everything start flowing smoothly.  New ideas flow into your head, and the words to express them spill right onto the page.  I refer to that point as the Threshold.  It's the point at where writing switches from being a drag to being a true delight.  Since everyone works differently the threshold is never in the same place, even for the same person.  The more practice one gets, the sooner they can reach the threshold.

For example, the past few months my threshold has been far too high.  It would take me several hundred, sometimes a thousand, words to reach it.  Sometimes I never reached it at all.  Recently, however, I've been able to reach the threshold in just a hundred words or so.  I partially atribute this to this being my third day in a row of writing every day.  I know this isn't a big accomplishment, but for me it's something.  I've also been writing more frequently overall, so I can only assume that the practice is having an affect.

Practice alone does not decrease the threshold, however.  What really breaks it down is pure enthusiasm.  If you can reach the point where writing a book is as good as reading one, because you're discovering a new story, then you know you're where you want to be.  It goes without say that you need to be enthusiastic about books to be able to reach this point in the first place.

For a good chunk of this book it's been a drag just because I was trying to get it done just so I could say I finished a book.  But recently I've been able to think of a few new ideas, expanded on some characters, fleshed out the plot, and prepared some plot twists, that have me thinking this really is going to be a good book.  I'm looking forward to finishing it because I know it's going to be good and people will enjoy it.  Without that driving force I don't think I could finish this book.

I think every book needs a few ideas like that, something that makes you excited to write it.  That's why it's important to always have your ending in mind.  Start with a rough idea for the ending at least, and then start building the plot towards it.  The ending will change as you think of new ideas, brought on by expanding the plot and characters.  It's hard to write a plot twist for a character that doesn't even really exist yet.

And I guess you probably want to create your characters before plotting.  My characters kinda pop into existence as I expand on the plot.  They usually start out as something to fill in plot holes, and then grow to take on their own lives.

Anyway, I'll try to update this blog more often, but right now my book and other blog take priority.