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| This inspires me…I don’t know why photo/poster by Brett Jordan/Feelines via flickr |
There is a lot to be said for inspiration. I’m talking about that feeling in your chest, the swell of possibility and anticipation. You’ve got this great idea! It’s got everything! You’re going to be Big Time soon! This is your ship and it’s coming into port!
Then you sit down to work out the particulars and you find that somewhere in the distance between your imagination and the screen, something went awry.
wtf?
Where was that wonderful, fabulous, exceptional, brilliant thing you had in mind? What’s all this mess you’ve spewed out?
I was going to say that it’s probably at that point that most people resign themselves to their non-brilliance and realize the ship was someone else’s or a mirage–born out of ego. But, the truth is, most people probably never get the brilliant idea out of their heads and onto the screen in the first place. So, look at it like this: the fact that you’ve written (or planned or composed or drawn or painted or recorded or whatever) a bunch of worthless crap means you’re already ahead of the game.
There’s your inspiration right there. You’re on your way. Now take that giant turd of yours and work it.
I’m working on a romantic comedy right now, and I have to say, it comes and goes. I think my books are like children*. You know how it is, right? You love your children. But sometimes, you look at them and think, geez, what’s that? Did I spawn that?
When that happens, good parents don’t toss their children out of the house. No. Don’t be silly. They just wait a few days and suddenly, the kid does the most amazing thing and then we laugh and realize how fabulously brilliant we are and look what we have created!
Perseverance. It works in writing as in parenting.
What I’m saying is that, with any endeavor, you have to just keep at it and that inspiration will return. Then you work like mad, run with it, until it lags. And when it lags, you trudge through it, knowing, remembering, anticipating that moment when everything will be great again. (It’s probably like a gambling addiction and those of us who succeed are the true addicts.)
So, with that in mind, and knowing that pictures make for good blogs, I will share some pictures of Historic Downtown Melbourne, my inspiration for the as-yet-unreleased-title-because-I’m-paranoid series, book one of which ought to be out by the end of the year.
If downtown Melbourne isn’t the cutest place in Brevard, I don’t know what is.
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| Old buildings, kitchy shops |
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| They put out cute wrought iron tables and chairs when they’re open |
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| Always hoppin’ |
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| The view into town from the railroad tracks |
It’s always busy. And there are two chocolate shops. What more do you want?
*Not my children, of course. I love my children ALL the time.