
For me writing is a visual art. I make
pictures in my head of the places, characters, and
action, and then write what I see. Not only that, I
cover the walls of my studio with drawings,
paintings, and photographs. While writing A
Paradise Called Texas my walls were papered
with pictures of sailing ships, German villages,
women in long dresses, a wagon pulled by oxen, and
this log cabin.
I
love doing research of all kinds, especially
traveling to the sites of the story - everywhere
from Germany to a desolate and windy Texas beach.
Sometimes research means going to the library.
Sometimes it means visiting a horse stable, and
sometimes it means watching a house being
moved!
I
write from an outline, but a flexible one. Often my
characters begin to act on their own, and that's
fun. Still an outline helps, because I can
concentrate on one chapter at a time and not think
about writing a whole long book.
Something
that helps me get words on paper - yes, paper - is
that I write whatever comes to mind without
worrying whether it is good or bad. Then comes the
fun part - rewriting! Now I have something to work
on instead of a blank sheet of paper. After two or
three handwritten drafts, I type it into my
computer for more revisions.
To
be a writer you must read. The rhythm of the words
will become a part of you, so be sure to choose the
best books. It is also important to make yourself
keenly aware of everything around you, and how the
scenes and events of life affect you and others.
Open up to life and keep a journal of what you see,
hear, smell, touch, taste, and think.
|