So, here we go (or the one where I state I'm about to start writing a novel)...

Well, I'm in a position in my life right now that I've been in way too many times before. I'm itching to start writing again, for real writing, not just journaling and blogging and the random facebook update. I'm ready to actually sit down and work at it and put something out there. Something longer than ten pages. Something with a beginning, middle and end. Something that, who knows, might get published and might make me rich and famous (yeah right, but a girl can [and should] dream).

So, what is my motivation this time? Three things:

1) I've always been told and, hence, believe that we should write about what we know. For years I've struggled with the question, "Do I know something significant enough to write about it?" I've done some soul searching lately and while I can't confess that I've done something spectacular like climbed Mount Everest or solved world hunger, I have done things with my life that are worthy of writing about. Things that I feel are ordinary and beautiful in their ordinariness. I suppose you could say that I have recognized how common my experiences are and I feel that those are the things people want to read about because they can relate to them. And I promise to avoid writing such long sentences like the last one.

2) I'm a law student, no hiding that, and I've recently taken a class in Trial Advocacy where we have to do fake trials for fake cases. We're given a case book with all the exhibits, etc. and we have to build the case. This activity has, surprisingly, forced me to use some of my creative writing skills. Not only am I creating a story and strategy for my trial, but I'm also having to create witness dialogue and discussion that sounds realistic and accomplishes my goal. It's been fun to flex these muscles.

3) I had a dream about writing. Not only the process, but the subject matter of the book I want to write. I take my dreams very seriously and, when I have a dream like this, I can't ignore it. I could see myself in the actual writing process and I could see the end results. That was quite motivating and encouraging and was the final straw that got me headed in this direction.

So, that's my warning of what I plan to be up to in the next few months. Maybe I'll post snipits of the story as it progresses on here for review by my peers. : ) We shall see.