Monday, June 16, 2014

When It Rains...

We experienced six days of rain last week some of it coming in fast, hard downpours. The skies hung heavy and low, creating a world of gray and gloom. The air temperature stayed in the seventies or near eighty, adding to the damp misery.

Except when the rain finally ended and I toured my gardens and flowerbeds, I found thriving cucumbers and bountiful blooms of a color to chase away the remembered dreariness of storms. No evening watering could do for those plants what natures' methods could. Rain is needed.

Good stories are like that. To appreciate a happy ending we must have the storm before hand. The storm may cause extra work or stress the emotions. The rain might destroy or cause setbacks. But after the clouds have passed? The world becomes brighter. Things grow stronger and larger. It's better for having suffered the rain.

I spent those rainy days outlining my next book. Not so much an outline as a list of bullet points I intend to incorporate into the novel. It's how I usually start a new book. I have the beginning and end all worked out but I need a little more rain to carry through the middle. Even though the sun is shining today, I'm going to outline some gloomy and cloudy scenes today.
In my hometown today.

On another high note, the Budweiser Clydesdales are coming to my hometown tonight. It will be fun to see the famous crew clopping down Main Street.

Don't forget to visit the IWSG blog today for another great post.

17 comments:

Trisha said...

I like your post here - but I am one of those weirdos who totally adores rainy days, and wishes for more of them. Particularly if they are STORMY. And lucky me, we should be getting a bit of stormage here in the next 2 days. :)

L. Diane Wolfe said...

You want a rainbow, you have to have rain.

I love draft horses. Such beautiful and majestic creatures.

jan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Heather R. Holden said...

Wish I had some of your rain! There's been nothing but sunshine here... (I'm not a fan of the sun, heh.)

Also, I completely agree with you about happy endings. They don't have as much impact if they come easily for the characters!

Pat Hatt said...

Yep, we have to put up with all the crap to get to that pot of gold. Better be a damn pot of gold at the end too.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Heavy rain just makes my lawn grow faster. Darn it.
I always start with the ending and work my way back to a beginning.

cleemckenzie said...

I love rainy days for that very reason. I'm not lured outside and I can write without glancing out the window or carting my laptop into the garden. Congrats on the outline.

Ava Quinn said...

So true, Sue. My garden is becoming a jungle from all that rain! Loved how you drew that comparison to a great analogy for writing. You're so good! :)

Hope you had fun with the horses!

Melissa said...

I love a tour of the garden and yard after a rain.

Good writing reminder. I need to be tougher on my characters. I tend to go to easy on them. *grin*

Robin said...

My garden is loving the rain, too... although we haven't seen the amount that you have. Last night the weathergirl forecasted no rain for today so I watered this morning. This afternoon the sky opened up and... rain. Why do I even watch the news for weather reports???

Ellie Garratt said...

Great analogy. Now if only I had a garden!

Stephanie Faris said...

I wish I knew the end of my story when I began. I usually don't even know that...except it'll have a happy ending! Those horses have always creeped me out a little for some reason.

PK HREZO said...

Nice analogy. We are still having daily rainstorms. I like them. But not the headaches that often come beforehand. Oy. :(

Arlee Bird said...

I love the rain. I need to follow your example with the outline or bullet points. Maybe I'd organize my writing better.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Michelle Wallace said...

The horses are beautiful. Such majestic creatures.
My hubby loves horses.
We're easing into winter at the moment. It's not too cold.
Talking about outlines, I'm busy with one too...

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Susan .. sounds like us .. six days of rain .. but so pleased you found bounty at the end of your rainstorms.

Clydesdales are incredible horses aren't they .. thankfully people are taking a great interest in caring for protected and endangered species ..

Good luck with your outline and putting some pudding into it! - cheers Hilary