Today’s WordPress word writing prompt is sidewalk. You can interpret this word as sidewalk = the street the more American term for what we English call a pavement. Or you can (if you’re a bit nuts like me) have another take on this word. Meaning to literally go or walk sideways, to make a sideways move as opposed to forwards or backwards.
Is it Ok in life to sometimes not walk forward but side ways? And do a ‘‘sidewalk?” I sure hope so! I just did, well my creative side of my brain did and I didn’t even call on the creative side I was trying to have a break from it. So it’s day #17 of my count down until the ” big day” , yesterday I wrote about my long to do list and that today I have the whole day to sit and write my heart out, which I have done. I’ve working on my romance-thriller story. I’ve been writing and editing my work since around 11:00a.m it’s now 4: 30p.m London time. I’ve now drafted the first 4 chapters to a completeish stage and I’m happy -great news right.I took a five minute break to make a cup of tea, and just have a break from the screen but my creativity didn’t switch off, even though I was trying to switch off just for a moment. My creativity walked sideways ….instead of progressing my story forwards, it shifted it side ways in a new direction.
While waiting for the kettle to boil, I thought about my dilemma over whether it’s OK for a writer to write in two very different genres after publishing two books in one, panic set in again, and the back and fourth started again over whether to even finish this story idea, even though a few weeks back I had clearly made up my mind that I was ganna do it! Complete my love story which has an element of crime and it would sit in the romance- thriller/crime genre . Read all about that word writing prompt and dilemma here. Guess what happened this afternoon while waiting for the kettle to boil? Yep into my head popped a different version of the ending or second half of my original story. I grabbed my note book and jot it down quickly before it escaped me, and a smile crept across my face. Randomly, my creativity made a sideways move without me even really trying or thinking about it and now book #3 I’m working on is more refocused on romance( if I change the second half slightly).Looks like I’m back to square one and back in my original genre writing a romance-suspense, there is a crime yes I won’t change that, but with this new second half that randomly popped into my head the focus is on romance if I write it in that direction, one that I never thought just by switching around a few things. I feel happier with this re-vamped mental draft of the second half and ending.
Have you ever had a situation in life where you have made a side ways move? Rather than going forwards? I guess it’s OK to go sideways in life as it can surprisingly actually move you forward in a way you never thought of.
Author, Kim Knight 