Pamela's post this week about not knowing her own whodunit got me thinking. With Deadly Exposure, I thought I knew who committed the murder. In fact I wrote the book working toward one particular individual. Then as I was in the last 30 pages or so, I prayed before writing. Now I try to do this all the time, but that day I was talking with God about what would happen next.
He whispered that a certain somebody did it. I looked a little funny up at the ceiling. "No, he didn't."
"Yes, he did."
I went back and forth a few times before thinking, "Okay, I'll try it." Inside, I dreaded all the rewrites it would require. Wouldn't you know, it didn't take much of any. The antagonist makes sense. Most everything had already been planted. And the readers love the way it turned out.
And before you wonder if I'm incredibly strange, I really do pray about my books. I pray when I'm writing proposals asking God for creativity and wisdom. I pray as I'm writing, and not always, "God, help me, please. I'm stuck!" And I cling to Daniel 1:17: God gave Daniel and his friends, knowledge and intelligence in all areas of wisdom, literature and understanding dreams and visions.
I don't want to waste an opportunity He has given me.
5 comments:
Pam,
Loved your post. I pray as I write, as well. Often plot points come during my time in church ... and yes, I'm thinking about the Lord instead of the book, but He drops in information I need to improve the current WIP. Sometimes a story twist will appear from out of nowhere. Of course, I know who provided the inspiration!
Cara,
LOL, I am soooo looking forward to meeting you in Denver. Most of the time I figure out who my killer is while I'm in the shower. Don't know why that's the place. Maybe it's the Pyscho imprints.
I pray a lot, too.
Nothing is too small to pray about. And writing a book isn't small.
Your post is great and it looks as if you are getting some help from other others, I wish I could write, but I can't but I can read.
mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net
I loved hearing how God guided you as you wrote. He says he will guide us (Ps. 32:8) and He is so faithful!
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