By D.J. Williams
When I wrote my first
novel, The Disillusioned, I was flying blind. I spent months dreaming of the
story, and then weeks mapping out a detailed outline. What I didn’t realize was
that I would spend more time reworking my outline than writing. I found that
with each chapter the outline shifted. However, I was so wrapped up in getting
it just right that I failed to understand how great stories evolve in the most
unexpected ways. I needed to regain momentum and flow to push forward, but I
felt stuck each time I sat down to write.
One night I was in my
office staring at my outline. I knew the characters, and I knew the major plot
points of the story. In that moment I realized that was enough. I set the outline
aside and decided to allow my characters to guide the way. I can’t tell you how
that one decision has shaped my writing. I know there are those who outline and
stick with it, but I needed to change what wasn’t working.
Since that night there
is one word that guides my storytelling – benchmarks. As long as I have the
characters well defined, and keep the major plot points of the story in front
of me, I can allow those benchmarks to guide me. The beauty is that when I
shifted my approach during writing sessions my creativity grew as a
storyteller. The characters set the course instead of being forced into a
template that left me handcuffed.
With the release of my
latest novel, Waking Lazarus, I look back and see how much more enjoyable the
writing process has been. Even though I believe both stories are equally as
suspenseful, as a writer I can say that shifting my approach to benchmarks has
allowed me to be more productive and has fueled the momentum to chase the next
story.
What is preventing you
from writing your story?
What isn’t working
during your writing sessions?
What can you change to
fuel your creativity?
I encourage you to take
time with the questions above. I believe the answers will allow you to fine
tune your writing process, and allow you to continue growing as a storyteller.
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With the DNA of a world
traveler, D.J. Williams was born and raised in Hong Kong, has ventured into the
jungles of the Amazon, the bush of Africa, and the slums of the Far East. His
global travels have engrossed him in a myriad of cultures, and provided him
with a unique perspective that has fueled his creativity over the course of a
twenty year career in both the entertainment industry and nonprofit sector. In
this latest novel, Williams has written an epic global adventure filled with
riveting characters and page turning twists and turns. Think Jason Bourne meets
Homeland. It is a brilliant follow up to his previous novel, The Disillusioned,
that garnered the praise of Hollywood’s elite, including Judith McCreary, Co-EP,
Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, and CSI, who said, “The Disillusioned is
a fast-paced mystery…you won’t put it down until you’ve unlocked the secrets
and lies to find the truth.” With the release of Waking Lazarus, Williams is
once again capturing the attention of industry veterans including Peter
Anderson (Oscar Winner, Cinematographer), who has already endorsed this latest
adventure, “Waking Lazarus is a captivating visual story with a colorful
narrative. Once I started reading, it was hard to put down.” Currently based
out of Los Angeles, Williams continues to add to his producing and directing
credits of more than 300 episodes of broadcast TV syndicated worldwide by
developing new projects for television, film and print. My social media links
are:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djwilliamsbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/djwilliams316
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djwilliamsbooks/
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