On Writing Organically

In my early twenties, I studied journalism and took a stack of creative writing courses, thinking I needed the 'bit of paper' to prove I could write.

None of it was wasted, I certainly learnt the underpinning structure of writing, but did it teach me to actually write? 

No. 

In my thirties, I went to a zillion events and bought a zillion books on writing. Did I learn anything more? No, but I met lots of great people. 

Having just published a novel, Embers of the Sun, I can now reflect on the struggle to write the storyline I'd spent months devising and mapping out (advice from all those courses, lectures and books!). 

Finally, I just sat down and wrote the story, organically. 

In other words, I trusted that I could find the right words, in the right sequence, and tell the story. 

For me, writing is believing the story you want to tell is worth telling. And the words just flow...