Writing

You know how I’ve said for awhile that someday I’m going to write a book? Within the last couple of years I have set some specific goals for myself in that regard, and I am very excited with the progress I’m making. It may not seem like much, but the baby steps are better than just wondering if I ever could, don’t you think?

The first question I get when I mention I’m an aspiring writer is: What do you write? Well, right now, this blog… oh yeah, and occasional posts for the Sonlight blog. Other than that, not much. But I’m gonna write a book. I really am.

Next question: What kind of book? That one is easy. Fiction. Probably women’s fiction. Maybe young adult. But fiction is what I like to read, so fiction is what I long to write.

Then: What’s your book about? Up until just the last week or so my answer has been, “Umm… I’m not really sure. It will probably be set in the mid-twentieth century. Maybe in a small town… And that’s all I got!” I really sound like I know what I’m doing, don’t I?

Last week on our road trip, it came to me. The subject of my novel!

I’d like to say the Lord gave it to me, but that kinda sounds like I think my book will be divinely inspired like the Bible, or something. On the other hand, I know I could never do this without His help, and if He is truly calling me to write He will give me the story and enable me to do it. So yes, I think God helped me come up with a subject that I am excited about.

So, to repeat the question: What’s your book about? It’s going to be set during the Great Depression on a road trip across Route 66. I’m still working on the characters and plot. You know The Grapes of Wrath, right? Well, it will be nothing like that. Except for the setting, of course. John Steinbeck, I’m not.

When I shared my idea with Lyle his immediate response was, “We’ll have to research that, won’t we?” We had traveled across a segment of the old Route 66 several summers ago, and we have often talked about how much fun it would be to travel the whole length (as much as still exists). I don’t know if or when we’ll be able to work that in (because we live nowhere near Route 66), but it would be neat, for sure.

Anyway, I’m off to the Inland Northwest Writer’s Conference in Spokane today. I’m really glad the Lord gave me this idea last week so I can be thinking about it as I learn more about the craft of writing.