Is that me?

When I first began writing, I fretted that the people I knew would read themselves into my novels asking, “Is that me?” Naturally my experiences, including relationships, influence the stories I tap-tap-tap out on my keyboard. Predominantly, the characters and scenarios in my writing emanate from my imagination and are arguably an indirect reflection of the people, places and events I’ve encountered. I rarely write directly about people I know because that approach engages my thoughts causing the flow process (that I so enjoy) to sputter and falter.

As a flow writer, I tend to follow a characters’ guidance crafting the story around their motivations. If you disagree with something a character says, then please understand that the character said it, I didn’t, we are not the same – even though they spoke through my tapping fingertips. For me, the role of writing is akin to the role of being a silent observer; allowing the character to act and speak freely. This approach, I hope, leads to a narrative that reflects the characters strengths and challenges, ideally guiding the story along a path that is at times unexpected but always true.