It started raining here yesterday, usually this time of year we get snow. And last week we got a lot of that. Over the weekend we got another inch of snow at least and then Sunday it all melted away. Monday morning woke to a dreary sky and rain. Which brought on a new story idea.
The idea has nothing to do with rain at all but for some reason rainy, stormy days inspire me. They fill me with creativity and I get to work. So yesterday I spent the day curled up under a blanket with my sick little one while I plotted out the idea for A Borrowed Family.
It was my first time attempting to plot out a story. With the help of Wendy Knight, who let me bounce ideas off of her. I was able to work through some important details of this story.
Today brings even more rain, with a chance of a few rumbles of thunder. So after doctor appointments (perhaps even between) I will be outlining the chapters and then begin to write. This is a new way of writing for me but I am hoping that it will help me to get over that middle hump. Every story I have been working on the past year has come to a screeching halt right in the middle of the story! If plotting out A Borrowed Family helps then I think I may have to go back and do that for all of my works-in-progress.
Do you find motivation on dreary days or do they send you under the covers reaching for a book or the remote?
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
Four Foxes, One Hound 
I always get more writing done on bad weather days than sunny days! Maybe it’s because on sunny days the dirt in the house shows up more so I end up cleaning. Or maybe I’m just less distracted by what’s outside my windows. Hope your family is well soon – it’s been a rough winter for you.
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Thank you, it has been a rough winter for us.
I think when it is nicer out it is easier to put aside writing so that you can go out and enjoy it.
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I’m not sure if weather itself affects me one way or the other, but I know errands, appointments, and projects definitely consume my time and energy in ways that quells my writing creativity.
Ergo, if bad weather somehow cuts back on errands, appointments, and projects… then I suppose (ideally), bad weather could nudge me toward more creative output.
Now, as far as outlining — I’ve done some of it, but can’t really claim much success. I’ll get maybe halfway through an outline and I find myself writing out scenes or dialog. So there’s a page of outline-type notes and then three pages of the story. And that pattern shows up again later.
Ultimately, I find myself impatient at the outline and more eager to get my fingers dirty in the keystrokes of the story itself.
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I can see how not being able to run errands would make it so you could spend more time being creative.
I really want to sit down and start typing out this story but I am forcing myself to try it this way. I hope it helps.
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it’ll prob. save you a lot of time on the drafting if you know what each scene is about.
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I don’t think the weather ever affected me before, but since things have changed for me a bit, and it’s more prudent for me to stay at home (and I can), I guess I got more writing done because of those combinations of circumstances the past couple of weeks. My writing only comes along well anymore if I am right at the computer. I can see what I have, can rewrite without a mess and I can decipher what the heck I wrote, instead of trying to comprehend my scrawl! Between trying to think and write, and now bad hands, trying to transcribe what I have on paper is more of a mental pain than a physical one.
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Bad weather usually means less productivity for me because my kids either (or both) aren’t in school or couped up inside. I’m preparing myself for an ice/flooding day tomorrow since we’ve had 3 inches of rain since Monday afternoon and the temperatures will get below freezing tonight. I could really use a quiet day.
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