To talk or not to talk

After Leigh’s recommendation at the weekend, on Monday I found a copy of ‘Teach Yourself: how to write a Blockbuster’ by Lee Weatherly and Helen Corner. I’m not sure I’m aiming exactly at the blockbuster market, but I reckon some things - great storylines, ace hooks etc - go down well in any genre. Not to mention of course, that I’m utterly addicted to ‘How to’ books… and you can always learn something.

In it, Weatherly says that one shouldn’t talk too much about what you’re writing – new writers tend to, and professional writers don’t. Inexperienced writers, having talked to all and sundry, sit down to write it and ‘they’ve talked it out of their system.’ I so understand what she means, and I don’t, on the whole, talk much about mine – though you’ll all know I’ve dropped little snippets on my blog lately. But I had something I wanted to talk to Leigh about on Sunday (will the reader accept this?) and I’ve talked to my Mum since I’ve been in the UK and I’ve found it helps to talk a bit. While I talk, I realise things … and it does help that they don’t mind when my face glazes over and I say ‘Oh my god, she thinks the baby is his…’

And then I’m all inspired again and I have to disappear to write some more …

I just wish I could bottle this feeling - how much money would I make? And I could use it for the next time I'm in dumpsville.