Shannon Dittemore is the author of the Angel Eyes trilogy. She has an overactive imagination and a passion for truth. Her lifelong journey to combine the two is responsible for a stint at Portland Bible College, performances with local theater companies, and a focus on youth and young adult ministry. For more about Shan, check out her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
A few weeks back, Emma D made a blog post request of me. Here’s what she said:
It absolutely makes sense, Emma. Every author will transition from one story to another in their own way. And just like there’s no wrong way to write, there’s no wrong way to make this jump.
After I finished the Angel Eyes trilogy, I struggled just as you’re struggling now. I brainstormed several different story ideas and even wrote synopses for a few, but after being immersed in the fictional world I created for so long, I had a hard time sinking into another.
Here’s what I did:
I took a creative break. My agent suggested I do this. She told me it was normal to go through this phase and that it was important to feed my creative soul however it needed to be fed. So, I read other books and I went to the theatre and I watched entire series’ on Netflix. I wandered bookstores and ranked my favorite book covers. I researched things for no other purpose than to satisfy my curiosity. I let myself surf Pinterest for longer than I’ll ever admit and I went on road trips because OTHER PLACES inspire me.
I spent time helping others. Just because I was stuck didn’t mean everyone was. I had writer friends who wanted my feedback on their stuff and this was an ideal time for me to be of use. Just don’t over-commit here. The goal is to give your brain a break so if this requires too much of your creative self, it should be avoided.
I wrote. I didn’t abandon writing altogether during this time. I wrote whenever I wanted to about whatever I wanted to write about. I let myself be sloppy and lazy and redundant and I played with characters who seemed interesting to me.
I brainstormed with friends. Every now and then I’d come up with a story idea, but before investing much time in it, I’d run it by a few friends. There’s something powerful about saying ideas out loud. It’s similar to the magic of putting words on a page. Both actions make the characters real and that was what I needed most. Characters who felt as real as the ones I’d left behind.
In all of this, I realized how much I liked detective stories. And not just the who-done-it part, but the actual detectives themselves. I found them intriguing and it gave me a place to begin. A character I already knew I’d love before I started building her.
Now, I’ll be honest. It took me an entire draft to figure my detective out and at times that was frustrating. I felt I should know her deeply as I wrote her, but that’s not how I got to know the characters from the Angel Eyes trilogy. I got to know them and love them as I wrote. I bet that’s how you fell in love with your characters too, Emma. It’s easy to forget when you look back and see them in their fully realized form.
Expecting to love characters you’re just getting to know as deeply as those whose lives you’ve fully examined is unrealistic. Give yourself the freedom to grow into that kind of affection.
However you do it, the goal is to remind yourself that there are other stories to be told. Other characters worth falling in love with. There are other worlds worth exploring and you need to find a way to get excited about that again.
So tell me writers, what does that for you?
THANK YOU Emma for prompting this blog post. If you guys have topics you’d like to hear my thoughts on, please leave them in the comments section. I’d love to tackle more of what you’re looking for.