I went and got my teeth cleaned. But this time I was looking forward to it a little more. Some of it had to do with knowing I was just going to get a cleaning, and not a cleaning and a lecture. But the hygenist and I have totally bonded over . . . I know you're guessing plaque because of the title, but no, it's because she is writing a book also. So while she's in my mouth scraping and rinsing and suctioning and flossing, we talk writing. Or, more appropriately, she talks and I go, "uh-huh, mmm, wha whe wha," and then she takes the tool out of my mouth and I clarify what I just said.
We brainstormed, too. I've decided my method of writing should be titled "Sally Johnson's ADD guide to writing" because I am all over the place. I don't start from page one and write straight through to page 250. I write where the inspiration hits me. If I get an idea for the middle of the book, or just a good idea that I want to use but just don't know where (Yet), I give it a new page and write it down. That way I don't forget it in that busy head of mine. That's what works for me, but that does not mean it is better than any one else's method. You have to do what works for you.
Sometimes when I start a book, I have no idea where it is going, or I think I know where I want it to go, but it doesn't always go that way. Or I start writing a scene and it goes in a completely different direction than where I thought it was going.
And perfectly timed with my discussion with my hygenist, I went to an event with author (published, 5 books under her cute belt author) Lindsey Leavitt for her new book Going Vintage. The YW in our ward were going and they could also dress up in vintage clothes if they wanted. So my three girls and their friends, Tori and Farrah, all came over and got ready together. I, of course, wanted to go, not for the dress up and not for the refreshments they served after, but to experience this kind of thing (I'm not sure exactly what to call it). Because I'll be doing that soon enough.
It was different than what I expected. Lindsey gave some background on how she came up with the book and a little background about how she got into writing. Then she opened it up to questions. Now I know most of the girls there were excited about the question part because if they asked a question, they got a bag of candy (nice method, I might have to steal that), but I loved hearing about how she came up with ideas and her method of writing. She likes the revision part of the process. My favorite part is the rough draft. I love cranking out the rough draft and all the creative brainstorming that comes with it and all the possibilities the story has. The revision being fun for me? Not so much. I struggle with the transitions and making sure the timeline works. My next book draft is done . . . except for those transitions and details. And I procrastinate doing it by starting to write another draft because that's more fun.
So what did I come away with at the end of a day filled with mouth-watering experiences (or should I say drool at the dentist and salivation at the event over the mini lemon cupcakes)? We all have our own method of writing and we just need to know what works for us.
