At my RWA-GVC meeting yesterday, Kate Austin, our president, talked about inspiration.
What inspires you?
For me it is, without a doubt, music. This may sound strange, but different chapters of my book required certain types of music. I couldn't write the climax listening to something happy and uplifting; I needed something dark and intense. Not soon enough, and after much frustration with other songs, I recalled this amazing score from the movie "The Other Boleyn Girl" called The Execution, by Paul Cantelon. Something about the symphony, when I downloaded to it from iTunes (also remembering the scene in the movie), gave me all the goosebumps and hairs standing on the back of my neck I needed to write the chase, fight and death scene in my book. Even more chilling, were flashbacks my memory served me of my visit, years ago, to The Tower of London, and the moment I stood where Anne Boleyn was executed. As I wrote the climax of BTS, listening to that score, it took all of four hours. Up until that point, I'd struggle furiously for two weeks, writing and deleting like crazy, in an attempt to decide exactly what would happen in that scene. I'm terrible for changing, changing, and changing again until I get that "YES!" in my head.
Other scenes and chapters in my book were written to Carter Burwell, Howard Shore, Yiruma, Beethoven, Mozart, and most importantly, Jessita Reyes. Jessita's native american flute accounts for 75% of my writing music; whenever I see scenes in my head that involve the Rion and Malions, I always hear that beautiful flute and the crickets in the background. Moon on the Water was on permanent repeat for quite a few nights, especially while I wrote the first few scenes where Liss is below with Rion after her accident. I like to think of Jessita Reyes' music as my secret weapon for writing. :)
My other inspiration is food. What's writing without a few snacks in hand? My favourite are those Mott's Fruitsation fruit snacks from Costco. OMG. Sometimes there are five or six empty packages on my desk by the end of the night!! And don't let me forget fishy crackers....I know, I'm guilty of eating my kids snack foods, but I love them, and I can't help it... :) And let's face it, there are LOTS of other moms out there who dip into their kid's snack, too!!
If anyone else out there has some good inspirational motivators out there, share it with me!! I'd love to hear what helps you write until the wee hours of the morning, or what snacks keep you going while your at your desk. I think I may be ready to move on from Motts and try something new for Beyond the Borders.
Take care everyone!
M.