Reading Is Like Writing

Only not.

But there are a lot of similarities, I'm finding.  I noticed long ago that when I read something, my brain races ahead of the words on the page, painting a picture in my mind as I go along.  It tries to figure out what's coming, based on what has already been revealed.

Now, while reading my own WIP, I'm finding that my brain does the same thing, so even when I sort of know where the story is going, the act of reading it aloud send my brain on a similar quest, and little details I hadn't thought of before start popping up, begging to be added in.  I'm reading this story to one individual in particular, in bits, as I write it.  She gives me feedback on it, and sometimes we discuss bits of things that are about to happen, or that I am thinking of working in.

The fact that I know this individual well helps, of course.  I can sometimes anticipate her reaction to different lines and hints within the text...though to be honest, her complete enthusiasm is still kind of joyfully surprising to me right now...and that helps me when I am writing.  I write for her, in a lot of ways.  If I think something might be funny, or clever, her reaction pretty much always confirms that for me, which is a huge boost when I need that little extra kick of motivation.

Also, though, just this morning on the way in to work, I was thinking about the last bit that I had read to her, and thought of a slight change I wanted to make.  Having read it out loud, I realized that it didn't feel quite right yet, and when my brain raced on ahead, I not only found something that would get me over that small hurdle, but it would also end up sending me along a whole other path that I hadn't thought of before.  A huge bunch of puzzle pieces clicked into place, and my brain RAN with it.  It's a bunch of little things that, together, will make the story that much fuller in the end.

I'm excited about it, to be sure, and can't wait to get back down to actually writing it...once my work day is done, of course!

And THAT, coupled with the enthusiasm of my one reader/listener, is all the motivation I need.  :)

Until soon,

SAM