You find inspiration in the strangest places. I was dedicated to writing scripts for the stage. A few years back, I attended this production of my children’s play, Emma and the Lost Unicorn, outside of Boston .
After the actors had their curtain calls, the Director told them that if they changed out of their costumes and did their assigned tasks back stage, they could ‘have some time with Trisha’.
So I found myself holding impromptu stage craft classes with these adorable young actors (age 5–18). I was struck how serious they were about their craft. Their questions were very sophisticated. And then it happened……the inspiration to dare to write something completely out of my comfort zone…..a book.
The youngest ones begged me to write the stories from my scripts in storybook form. They wanted to have Emma, Stare, Cheets, and Stanley in their personal libraries. Three children’s books and one novel later I have found a new outlet for my story telling. These children, who knew no fear, gave me enough courage to try chapter books, poetry, and a novel. Experimental at times, risky at times, scary, but so rewarding. So step out of your comfort zone and try writing in a different format… it’s very liberating and you might surprise yourself. I did!
