CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE CONDUCIVE TO WRITING
Writing fiction begins with setting the stage. The props are photographs, scented candles, and whatever-it-takes to minimize daily distractions and whisk you away to never-never land.
When I was writing THE PRINCE IN THE TOWER, I lit a rose-scented candle and kept a photo of my favorite actor in front of me, but I needed more. So I added a sound track. A novel, like a movie, needs a sound track, although no one will hear it but the writer.
Steven Curtis Chapman, 4 Him, Jars of Clay, Burt Bacharach, Sting, and many other composers contributed to the soundtrack of my imaginary “film.” Songs like “Call Me Irresponsible,” “The Shadow of Your Smile,” “The Look of Love,” “Prologue,” “Blind,” and “Head Over Heels” inspired many scenes.
Props and music help, but nothing inspires me like visiting the places I want to write about.
THE PRINCE IN THE TOWER 