A Writer’s Life: Escape

Part of the reason I've been posting a bit less frequently throughout the past several weeks, in addition to being busy with things like cross-country trips and graduation activities, is because I've been devoting as much free time as possible to working on my novel. Even though I have always dreamed of becoming a published author someday, ultimately, I’m writing my first book for a couple simple reasons – because I love doing it and because more than anything else, writing frees me.

While I may not be able to control everything that happens in my own life, both good and bad, when I write fiction, I am taken away. There, instead of dwelling on the realities of my personal story, I'm focused on the challenges and successes of characters that have transitioned from my head to the page, where they continuously teach me new things and help me along every step of the way. And when a scene inevitably doesn't turn out the way I want it to, I know I always have the power to simply rewrite, rework and revise until it does, continuously altering fates and outcomes until their purpose becomes clear. 

Image Source: images2.layoutsparks.com 

That's why, whether or not this book is ever intriguing enough to catch the eye of an agent or publisher, the simple act of challenging myself to write it has without question revitalized my spirit and given my imagination a welcome place to escape. My characters have become friends and confidants who, in trying to find their own way, are in turn helping me find mine. 

What's your escape?