Monday, January 3, 2011

Question of the Day #797

Last night, I watched a news series, Oprah Presents Master Class with Diane Sawyer. It was not only fascinating to hear Sawyer's stories and understand her lessons, but it was beautifully executed.

When she said that curiosity is fuel for her, I broke out my notebook and started taking notes. She said, sometimes, she'll be flying from one end of the Earth to the other, already exhausted, and she'll think, "I just can't do this." But then she'll pick up a file, read a little bit, think of a question, then another and another. And suddenly she's got a zillion ideas and she can't wait to get there.

Sawyer said, "The only way you can get up some of these mornings is if you can't wait to see what's around the bend."

For me, that kind of curiosity comes when I'm immersed in a story and I've hit that sweet spot where the characters are leading me and I'm basically just typing what they're channeling.

Those days are the mornings writers live for.

What mornings do you live for?

xoxo,
Suzanne

10 comments:

  1. Ooh! Those definitely ARE good days. I'd also pick days I get to hike at the beach and it's crisp and clear. Those days, I love seeing the mountains in the distance (both Palomar and Saddleback) and the blue-green hues of the different depth strata in the water. Invigorates my soul!

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  2. I, too, love the days when a book I'm writing pulls me out of bed.

    As a beginning to the new year, I want to add an amazing New Year's wish from writer Neil Gaiman:

    May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.

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  3. I love starting a new book. So many possibilities...it's SO exciting.

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  4. I love the days when I wake up and I have plans with someone...a trip to the fruit market with my husband, lunch with my daughter, a walk with a friend, a facebook chat with a far-away friend.

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  5. Nancy, I love the New Year's wish from Neil Gaiman. I will strive for that wish.
    Thank you!

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  6. The mornings when the coffee is ready! :)

    Seriously, I love getting a new story idea and seeing where it takes me, too.

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  7. I kind of just wrote about this today - Sunday mornings. Because while I am sitting at the kitchen table writing / reading / surfing the net, handsome hubby is cooking and man, can he cook. Sunday morning breakfasts are my favourite!

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  8. When it's foggy when I walk my dog and I can smell the salt air from the ocean, then the sun starts to break through as I'm just about to make it home.

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  9. Same as you. Those times when my characters take over and I have no idea what they'll throw at me next. It's priceless.

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