I formerly had a boss at my librarian job who taught me a most valuable lesson and that lesson was to enjoy my job.  She taught me this lesson by setting an example by enjoying her own work and by continually asking me if I was having fun in doing my job.  I was not used to associating work with fun, but I soon realized the importance of having fun at work and of enjoying the internal rewards of my vocation.

I carried this lesson over to my writing life, where it translated into enjoying the process of writing. Enjoying the process of writing is so important, and in a way, it’s all that I really have in terms  of my writing.  External recognition is a fleeting and undependable thing, but my enjoyment of the process of writing is something that can never be taken away from me.

I know that I’m having fun when a character surprises me by doing something I did not expect; when I get a great line in my head; or when I am so immersed in the process of writing that I’m one with my words.

This post is from my blog series, “Tips for Writing Fiction.” Be sure to check out my Greco Family Trilogy books, which include Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees, Discovery of an Eagle, and The Bird that Sang in Color. These books are available from all major online book sellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books.