Growing Seasons

It’s been my dream for many years to have a redbud tree in my backyard, so I was delighted when Project Guy (that would be my husband) gave me one for Christmas! It’s always a little scary planting something in the winter when all the signs of life and growth are hidden deep within the branches. But we did so in faith. Project Guy followed directions to dig the right-sized hole and set the tree at the proper depth. After making sure the tree stood straight and tall, he backfiled the hole and added pine needle mulch to keep the roots nice and cozy through the rest of winter.

With the arrival of warmer days, I’ve been going out to check for any signs of those gorgeous magenta blossoms I’ve been anticipating. At the end of February, I could see the tiniest little buds peeping out along each branch. I’m so excited for the brilliant burst of color yet to come!

Waiting for my tree to blossom reminded me of what it can be like to write a novel. At the first glimmer of an idea, the signs of life may be minimal. Is there enough here to develop into a complete story? Before I’ll know for sure, I must do some digging and cultivating. I need to figure out who my characters are at the outset, what they most need to encourage their personal growth, and what events might either hinder or help that growth along so their happily-ever-after can come to full bloom. 

Once the story begins to sprout, the characters come alive in my head and often tell me things about themselves I never expected and wouldn’t have imagined during the early planning stages. At that point, I have to be careful the characters don’t completely take over and send the story off on tangents irrelevant to the central plot. 

Carrying the tree metaphor even further, I may need to do some judicious pruning so that the overall story doesn’t lose its shape.

When I’ve done all I can to make the story as good as it can be, I send it off to my editor, who may do even more pruning and shaping. A few months later, when those first copies of my novel arrive on my doorstep, it’s a thrill to see how that tiny germ of a story idea has blossomed into a published book!



Share your thoughts today. Are there aspects of your daily life where you can see the seasons of planting and growth? Possibly an assignment at work, or a craft project like knitting or quilting? Parents can certainly see the results of their nurturing as they guide their children to grow and learn. How about our faith lives and the ways we nurture them to greater maturity? Any other areas you can think of?

By the way, my next newsletter goes out today! Subscribe now, and you might have a chance to win my March giveaway!

About Myra: Award-winning author Myra Johnson writes emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. Myra is a two-time finalist for the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards, winner of Christian Retailing’s Best for historical fiction, and winner in the Inspirational category of the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards. Originally from Texas but now residing in the beautiful Carolinas, Myra and her husband love the climate and scenery, but they may never get used to the pulled pork Carolinians call “barbecue”! The Johnsons share their home with two very pampered rescue doggies who doesn’t always understand the meaning of “Mom’s trying to write.” They’ve also made room for the cute little cat (complete with attitude) their daughter and family had to leave behind when they moved overseas.

Website

Facebook

Twitter: @MyraJohnson and @TheGrammarQueen 

Goodreads

Instagram

Pinterest

Sign up to receive Myra’s quarterly e-news updates here!