Saturday I went wedding dress shopping with my daughter, her bridesmaids, and my 85-year-old grandmother. Here is the group! (I was taking the photo.) My daughter Leslie is the second on the left with the curly hair!
I took photos of my daughter in the dresses she was trying on, and the dress she CHOSE! (It was the 4th one!) But at least a dozen times I was told, “Don’t you dare share those photos online!” So I’m sorry, friends … you’ll have to wait and see the wedding photos in May!
(If you’d like a sneak peek at her style, here is our WEDDING PINTEREST BOARD)
Leslie had a good idea going in what type of dress she was looking for, but when she put on the fourth one it was so HER. The cut, the style … the dress looked as if it was made for my daughter.
As I thought about this, it made me think about the books authors write. I’ve been asked often, “How do you choose an idea?” Sometimes it’s hard to explain. An idea starts as a seed of a thought and then it grows.
For me there’s a few things that make a story idea “fit.”
1. The style. All of the books I write have a similar message, “God has chosen you for a purpose,” and “He has a plan to use ordinary people in extraordinary ways.” Brides look for a certain style, authors do, too!
2. The details. I love research. I love mixing true details into my fiction. I write about World War II, Amish, and historical fiction … which means I can bring true events and customs to fiction. Just like wedding dresses have unique details, novels do too.
3. The way I feel. When my daughter put on the right wedding dress she didn’t want to take it off. When I have a story idea that keeps playing in my mind I know it’s the right one. When I write a novel I spend months and months with those people, and in that situation. When I enjoy the journey with these people I know my readers will too.
There are numerous ideas for authors to choose from … but when the right one comes it’s wonderful to say YES!
Now, your turn. What makes YOU say “yes” to a book?
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