Vexing Inspiration :)

There is a certain phenomenon that I have noticed recently. And that is simply this:

That when I am the most pinched for time and haven't a spare moment to devote to writing even if it's the thing I long to do most, inspiration suddenly flies at me and knocks me over. ;)

Much to my sister, Sarah's chagrin, I am terrible about beginning one story and then getting inspired for another and leaving the one in a dubious state of completion while chasing the other.

But she's not a writer and she can't understand the elusive joy that comes when The Idea pops into your brain and taps you on the shoulder with a "catch me if you can" smile on its face. And I usually end up going back and finishing the first story....*after* I've done with the second. ;)

I know I'm not the only one with this problem. I've heard that Sir Walter Scott always worked on two novels at once. He placed them on separate desks and stood between the two pacing up and down. When he got an idea he'd dash to either manuscript and scribble as fast as he could.

I'm not *that* bad....or at least I don't think I am.... ;)

Puddleby Lane was coming along splendidly, but then life got to be a whirlwind of weeds and vegetables, wisdom-teeth and graduation speeches and I had to lay it aside in lieu of other more prosaic realities. That was fine in itself, except that somehow Inspiration decided to commandeer my attention and I have had the hardest time imaginable trying to ignore this perfectly amazing plot that is tumbling around my mind. Puddleby Lane is a good story and *will* be finished. I think I don't think it would be fair to poor Cora Lesley to just leave her hanging and dash off to the French Revolution. :D

So this brings me to the second random musing in my writers' brain. (As a note: I may seem to flit about from one subject to another like a distracted butterfly but I think that it's all the fault of being a writer....we all understand each other....right?)

The second random musing is......

Keep a Writing-Inspiration Notebook....I'm *going* to think of a clever name for mine.

But in this book of secrets, I pledge to write all the plot ideas, character sketches, descriptions, and everything else that floats past my Writer's Radar in this book to be pulled out, dusted off, and hung up to shine in a future day. I've done this loosely but never in an organized format...but I really think it's a good idea. What do you think?

Oh yes. And I can't forget the third and final thought I've been discussing in my head. And that is the frustrating longing to be a *great* writer like Dickens and Austen...my pen is clumsy at times and won't behave how I want it to.

But I will write all the same and I *know* practice makes perfect. Even if I never do end up a truly great writer, let it never be said of me that I stopped trying. :)

Simple things cheer me up...things like one of my favorite graduation gifts I got. The brother of one of my friends wood-burned me a sign that is destined to hang over my writing corner whenever I make it. It's a simple, wooden sign, but it made me smile with its two words:

Author's Study

Somehow that made me feel officially an authoress....that and graduating. ;) It's so funny how someone simply acknowledging your passion makes it real. Wasn't that a thoughtful gift? :)

Tomorrow I'll post my graduation speech for your observation. :) ~Rachel