The Magic of Story

I am constantly humbled by the magic of story. 

My characters grow from the smallest seed of an idea, navigating the world I drop them into in ways that can sometimes surprise me. As hard as I try to nail down the major plot points before I begin, my characters just don’t always do what I hoped they would.

I’m dealing with just that now, as I work through the first draft of Hope in the Moonlight. I’ve reached the part of the plot where my heroes were supposed to do something very specific… but even though I thought it was a great plan, turns out Her fight is a little bigger than I thought, and He needs to travel down a darker path before he can hope for his happy ending. 

It’s exciting and wonderfully satisfying to see the journey unfold, to see the world and people I created expand at the touch of my fingers on the keyboard. It’s humbling, too. 

I keep writing forward. I push through the difficult parts, even though it feels like typing a million words with one finger. I adore the rush of the easy parts that seem to flow onto the page with little input from me. They are both part of the process; part of the magic. 

It’s because of that intangible thing, that magic, that I keep writing. During seasons like this, when stepping away to the solitude of my little office is a regular part of the day. And seasons where solitude isn’t so easy to muster, and writing means constant interruptions and little people competing with my Macbook for lap space. No matter the season, or the hurdle, it’s the Magic that keeps me moving forward. 

Do you ever feel the magic of creation? Whatever your art, whatever your medium, I’d love to hear how it feels for you! Is it a constant struggle, as easy as breathing, or do you experience the full spectrum like I do?

Tell me your story in the comments, or connect with me via email or social media!

Sweet Dreams until next time,

Charlene Perry