One way to reboot your creative self is to trade writing for something equally inspiring but different. Whether you choose sewing, quilting, painting, pottery or any other hands-on craft, it’s important to walk away from a blank screen and re-energize your imagination. Immerse yourself in another medium, and your writing will improve.
With almost every book I’ve written, one of my preliminary steps is to scrapbook the characters. Often, I have a vague idea of their appearance, but their identity doesn’t start to jell until I pull out my folders of photos of males, females and couples I’ve torn from magazines over the years. I sift through them, leaving analysis behind and choose solely by instinct. Slowly, my characters take shape, and by the time I’m done, I not only have an idea of what they look like, but have found extra aspects of their personality.
This is the first page of my scrapbook to The Spell Breaker, a fantasy involving a handsome king, a lost soul and a wicked witch.
Notice the collection of eyes and spirals. The motifs appeared on their own as I sifted through my collection of emphera.
Lissa is an indigo child, her cognitive powers suppressed for years until she’s yanked into a strange, new world. Notice all the anguish in her pictures.
Again, the eye shows up.
Rue is a great secondary character. She was born a slave and had hidden her magical powers most of her life, but is called upon to help Lissa harness hers.
A right eye, this time.
And finally, the land in my fantasy, based ever so loosely on the topography of Iceland.
Faultline? Yes, there is a lot of volcanic activity in Aribisala.
Grab a couple of old magazines, trawl the internet and pick images that touch a cord with you. Let instinct rule. If you prefer something more 3D, collage your characters with found objects. I prefer scrapbooks as they are easier to store.
Mary will be here over the weekend. I’ll be back on Monday. Take care until then.
Cheryl
