I met with one of my readers last week to talk about writing. She's a writer too which makes the conversations a little easier than talking with a 'non-writer reader'. 'Writer-Readers' understand the process a little more - they tend to know how to help in a more constructive way.

And this reader in particular suggested some juicy ideas for K.S. Originally one character was intended to carry the evil load, but in the first draft the evilness merely came out flat and formulaic so I adjusted this character a bit and liked how she came out in the second draft. Unfortunately that meant that my evil load was left sitting on the editing floor.

My reader helped me figure out a good - and very plausible way - to add the evilness back in. She started throwing out a few ideas and my creative juices started gushing out. I had to grab a paper and pen before they spilled onto my friend's lovely white carpet. I dashed off the new changes to the storyline as quickly as my borrowed red sharpie could ink the words down.

Now I am left with a page filled with thick red lines and a writer who is chomping at the bit to fold the improvements into my beloved baby. Although, my baby has been through so many upgrades since the first draft that, at this point, I should probably refer to it as a toddler. As a writer, I write in layers - I write and rewrite until I can get it right. So if K.S. is a toddler now then it might be a while until it is full grown. But I don't mind...because I truly love the writing process and if it takes me twenty years to get it right, then so be it.

The best part about my fabulous reader is that she is diligently working on her own work and when she is ready to swap I can send AHIP her way and I get her work to go through. While we were talking she was describing some of her scenes and characters to me and I swear I could feel the heat of Africa, the desolation of the orhpanage, and the clean red-tiled floor that ran the long hallway.

Readers are great and I am grateful to have some and to be one for others.

In the midst of a move, AHIP is sitting...rather impatiently, I might add.  While I spend my days packing boxes, my characters have been visiting me while I slumber, eagerly reminding me of this or that to add to their story.  

I know that my creations are not really real but at what point do they become alive to us as writers?  For me, it seems that they come to life as soon as they are named.  Their characteristics start to form, creating their inner character...making them tangible.

I think there is something wonderfully magical about the ability to create delightful new worlds.  So I will not complain about my fictional children's nightly visits where they criticize how I write them.  Instead I will thank my lucky stars for such a colorful imagination.  Even I could not imagine a more deliciously desirable gift to give myself.