I tried unsuccessfully to write using an outline. Instead, I let the characters take the lead. This method seems to work better for me. The story flows better. It feels like magic when everything starts coming together. I am still working out some kinks, but I have a much better feel for what I want to do. I wonder how many writers prefer to write without an outline.

I think that my storytelling improves in the Fall. This is my favorite time of the year. The days grow shorter, the shadows deepen, and the temperature drops-even here in Arizona! There is a certain, kind of dark, mood that settles over me this time of the year. Does anyone else have a favorite time of the year to write?