Recharging time

I'm heading out soon to travel to a casino where I will be plotting murder all weekend.

This is an annual getaway I have with some writer friends. We go to the casino, have intensive brainstorming sessions for each person's work in progress, with breaks to eat, drink, and gamble. It's a little bit of heaven on earth as far as I'm concerned. There is something about being around like-minded people that just makes my brain zing.

I have 2 ideas I want to bounce off of them for new manuscripts in the Remembered Classics series. If anyone can help me find a way to twist a few fairy tales, it'll be this group.

It's important to have the right mix of people when you have get-togethers like this. We're all at different stages of our careers, but we all respect and value the input we get from others. We have a loose format that we follow (time slots for each person) with plenty of down time to let folks recharge.

It's surprising to me how much I get out of helping other people brainstorm their plots. It's like new pathways open in my mind and I start to think about new plot points and character arcs in a whole new way. This kind of interaction is really valuable for a writer because I think it helps keep us from getting stale.

So wish me luck at the slot machines -- I'll report back in later this month. I know I'll be a winner because I'll have a great time. Whether or not I come away with any cash is another matter entirely.

J L Wilson
(jayellwilson.com)