by guest blogger Sheila S. Hudson
The best time for
planning a book is while you're doing the dishes. ~Agatha Christie
Writers are a rare and wonderful breed. As Ms. Christie
observes: writers loyal to their craft are always writing. Writers don’t take days off, observe
holidays, or rest on the weekend.
On Wednesday mornings when I shop at Publix, I am
writing. I wonder to myself: Wouldn’t an icicle make the ideal murder
weapon? What about poison slipped into a
victim’s contact lens solution? Could that person in front of me in the
checkout line be a serial killer?
When working a crossword puzzle, I store away unique words
for future manuscripts and make notes of interesting phrases. I jot down scraps of dialogue overheard in
Wal-Mart. I eavesdrop on families in the
mall. It is fascinating to observe
humans in their natural habitat especially children. Children are humor, unpretentious, but most
of all painfully honest.
When I am not keyboarding, I am trolling for markets, researching
for an article, sifting through submission guidelines, or searching files for
ideas. Forgotten pieces can be resurrected and polished with a little computer
magic.
Through email, I share call-out information with my writer
buddies, swap manuscripts for critique, and keep current in my writing
circles. Social media affords me the
privilege of having the information highway at my fingertips.
Because the internet is so popular, everyone fancies
themselves a writer. Publishing on
demand is big business. Private publishing is on the rise. Good writing is good writing no matter the
mode of publication.
Twenty-five plus years of freelance writing has taught me
that I am fortunate to be a writer in the 21st Century. Writing has opened doors that otherwise would
have been sealed. I have met
unforgettable people and been afforded tremendous opportunities. Freelancing has enhanced my life. Because of it, I possess treasured
friendships and networking contacts. Travel writing, humor writing, essays, personal experience, and
inspirational writing have given me an appreciation for other forms of prose
all the while furnishing an outlet for my manuscripts. And as icing on the cake
was when Tim, my husband, retired he joined me with his photography expertise.
As an only child for many years, I spent a lot of time
alone. So when I chose to write, it
wasn’t that much different. I still need
discipline and create deadlines to keep myself on track. Writing has helped me break through shyness
and open portals that I wouldn’t have dared before. I have been allowed to peek into other worlds
and I am anxious to share those experiences with my readers.
Writing is a passion that’s always with me and I suspect
that’s true for all of us. So my parting
advice is: Never ask a writer what he/she is doing. Not even if they are staring out the window
or knitting a scarf. They are mentally
composing a setting, writing a character description, or figuring out a plot
point. They are writing. Writers write. Even when we aren’t putting pen to paper.
______________________
Sheila S. Hudson is a freelance journalist,
speaker, workshop leader and Co-President
of Southeastern Writers Association. Sheila
is also the founder of Bright Ideas. Visit her
website at www.sheilashudson.com.
speaker, workshop leader and Co-President
of Southeastern Writers Association. Sheila
is also the founder of Bright Ideas. Visit her
website at www.sheilashudson.com.
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