This post is available as a podcast on Cinch and iTunes.
“Writing is my vacation from living.” ~ Eugene O’Neill via Quotes4Writers
“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” ~ E L Doctorow via Quotes4Writers
Fiction writing is difficult for me. Writing directly from my life in the first person as I do on this blog is far easier. Fiction writing is really an act of faith, fumbling around in the dark, not quite sure where it’s going, or how or even why. The characters are strangers to the writer at the beginning of the project and they’re family by the end of it.
Over the past month I’ve been working on some fiction writing. Actually bits and pieces of it have been in the making for a number of years. First as a series of short stories I played around with, then as the start of several different complete stories that I thought may eventually see the light of day. Then as I was out running some errands this afternoon, I realized that all these stories actually hang together, that all of these characters that I thought were so separate actually live near one another and their lives will cross and re-cross in ways that I didn’t realize as I was writing each smaller, separate piece. And that meshing together got me jazzed to learn more about them.
Sounds crazy doesn’t it? Fiction writing is a crazy process. I don’t understand all of its inner workings, how stories and characters and through lines come together into a cohesive whole. There’s a little magic thrown in for certain. Our imaginations are wondrous, wild, and precious things.
I do know that fiction writing stokes my creativity more than non-fiction writing. It scares me in the same way that meeting new people can sometimes be scary. We have to take a chance on these characters, and sometimes they disappoint us and hold up a mirror to us so that we see things about ourselves that we would really prefer to ignore.
I’ve tried to let them go sometimes, but I can’t. Years later, despite my neglect, these characters are still hanging around my writing door, determined to stay there until I let them in, give them some tea, and get to know their stories. They are stubborn and will not be silenced. I appreciate those traits. I’m the same way, so I’ve decided to let them have their say. Pen to paper, taking dictation.
This blog is part of the 2011 WordPress Post Every Day Challenge.
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
This post is available as a podcast on Cinch and iTunes. 
Christa Avampato 
with me, i’ve always found i have massive gaps where i just won’t write anything, then go through phases of doing huge amounts of fiction and coming up with new characters and the like. trick is to absorb as much culture as possible; watch good films, read interesting books.
there is no denying, however, that writing fiction is as hard, if not harder than real life experiences…that said, writing about real life means real people might react badly to what you write…
ramble over 🙂
http://curlyalex.wordpress.com/
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Hi Alex,
Thanks for your comment. I agree that reading, seeing films, and just being out in the world always gets my writing going. There’s so much inspiration out there!
Cheers!
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