I went to hear my cousin and author, Roland Merullo speak tonight. Aside from the fact that briefly reconnected with my cousin whom I hadn't seen for years, I found the discussion that ensued quite inspiring.
Before I got a chance to ask, another member of those assembled asked him to speak of his process for writing. He said that he never outlines. In fact, he added, that the times he's attempted to outline the work that's come from it has not been his best.
The other tidbit that I found interesting was when he addressed writing about his past and his family. He said that he struggles with wanting to write about the places and people he knows while wanting to keep their identity, quirks, and misgivings private to protect them from being hurt.
I found this especially meaningful as I continue to work on my novel whose characters are based on people from my life. I am changing them as best I can to protect them from being exposed or hurt. Often, though, I run into a conflict in my creative mind on this as I know that truth is stranger than fiction. On the other hand, it is often freeing to write in parts of their lives that I don't know, using my imagination to fill in the blanks.
All in all, it is a wonderful thing to hear from and about others that share in the craft of writing. To know that others are exploring the crags of imagination, somewhere typing away on a computer, is comforting.
