Francine Rivers

Official Website

  • Facebook
  • Home
  • About
    • Biography
    • Testimony
    • FAQs
    • Interviews
    • Writing Tips
  • Books
    • Printable Book List with Reviews
    • Full Book List
    • Featured Books
      • The Masterpiece
      • Earth Psalms
      • Redeeming Love
      • Mark of the Lion series
        • A Voice in the Wind
        • An Echo in the Darkness
        • As Sure as the Dawn
    • Stand Alone Fiction
      • Redeeming Love
      • Bridge to Haven
      • The Scarlet Thread
      • Leota’s Garden
      • And the Shofar Blew
      • The Atonement Child
      • The Last Sin Eater
    • Series Fiction
      • Mark of the Lion series
        • A Voice in the Wind
        • An Echo in the Darkness
        • As Sure as the Dawn
      • Lineage of Grace series
        • A Lineage of Grace 5-in-1
        • Unveiled: Tamar
        • Unashamed: Rahab
        • Unshaken: Ruth
        • Unspoken: Bathsheba
        • Unafraid: Mary
      • Sons of Encouragement series
        • Sons of Encouragement 5-in-1
        • The Priest: Aaron
        • The Warrior: Caleb
        • The Prince: Jonathan
        • The Prophet: Amos
        • The Scribe: Silas
    • Christmas
      • The Shoe Box
    • Children’s Books
      • The Shoe Box (Children’s Edition)
      • Bible Stories for Growing Kids
    • Devotional
      • Earth Psalms
  • Blog
  • Contact

More on Writing

March 14, 2011 By Francine Rivers

Writing isn’t about making friends with my characters, but trying to understand them.  It’s a process.  What I write in a “book proposal” is a faint shadow of who the characters are and what they will do.  I don’t even know any of that yet.  What is important is what these new people in my life will become in the course of writing “about” them.  When they (finally — hopefully) take on a life of their own, breathing out their own words and thoughts, the story begins to happen.  I become more like a court recorder than a creator. 

Until that spark happens, writing is more like going to gym after having taken a year of vacation on a cruise line with buffets and then being turned over to a trainer who is a retired Marine drill instructor. 

If anyone were to ask me how to write a book proposal (which is what I’m working on right  now), I would have to admit honestly I have no idea.  I can offer a “working title”, a (possible) theme, a host of characters with their attributes (sort of) and a story line (sort of).  In truth, the finished work will look entirely different that what I’m proposing to do. 

The new project I’m attempting to start has plagued me for months.  I dream scenes and dialogue.  I have an opening line.  I hear the characters carrying on conversations in my head.  It can be quite distracting.  I know there are times when I have a blank stare on my face because my husband will ask if I heard something he said and I won’t even know he had been talking. Because I’ve been locked in my skull, wandering around in there, pondering ideas, hearing voices.

It one particular Voice I want to hear. 

Years ago, I thought being a writer meant I had to go off somewhere alone and be inspired and write without any distraction – or interference.  Now I know it means working in the middle of chaos, or as we all know it – “normal life”. 

When asked what this new book is going to be, I can only answer: I don’t know yet.  I have to write it and find out. 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Pinterest
  • More
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Email

Filed Under: Musings

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join Francine on Facebook

Join Francine on Facebook

More Francine Rivers Books

Earth Psalms

Earth Psalms

Reflections on How God Speaks through Nature

More info →
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Christian Book Distributor
Buy from Apple Books
Buy from Kobo
Buy from Lifeway
Tyndale House
Buy from Audible.com
Earth Psalms
Buy now!

Unveiled: Tamar

Unveiled: Tamar

Betrayed by men who controlled her future, she fought for right to believe in a loving God.

More info →
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Christian Book Distributor
Buy from Lifeway
Buy from Apple Books
Buy from Kobo
Tyndale House
Buy from Audible.com
Unveiled: Tamar
Buy now!

Privacy Policy

Read this site’s privacy policy.

Copyright © 2019 Francine Rivers | Website Design by Robin |

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.