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| Photograph by Liz West |
The other day I was having a major nervous breakdown over my WIP. For some reason, I feel like I started the story too far into the story...what I mean to say, is that a significant portion of the plot already occurred BEFORE page one. I KNOW...right?
Anyway, I called up my friend from our Sunday Morning Romance Writers group and she talked me down from the ledge. One thing she suggested was that I might want to go with flashbacks..."Because that's your signature anyway," she said.
That gave me pause. I have a signature? I hadn't realized that my writing is distinct in a very personal way. She also pointed out that all of my heroines have a first name that starts with an 'R'...huh? She thought I did that on purpose, because my own name begins with an 'R' and that it was again, a signature. I hadn't noticed. I picked the names because I like the sound of them and they fit the character.
This got me thinking about signatures. I mean, that's how they catch serial killers, right? They have a distinct pattern even if sometimes its subconscious. A certain mental tick or compulsion drives them to repeat something over and over again. As writers, do you have any such quirks?
Do you have to have a certain mug or snack when you write? Are you characters always red-heads or petite or tall? In what ways are you leaving a mark on your work that is distinctly you...and when did you become aware of it?
I'm forging ahead with my WIP. In fact, I've worked out the kinks after my conversation with Erin (Hold on To Your Bloomers!) and realized what the problem was. The two chapters I wrote since then happened smoothly and without fuss...which is nice.
So tell me what makes your writing unique...Until next time...Go Write!