That Coming Alive Moment

I was asked a very good question at a book talk this week - 

Why do so many journalists go on to become authors? 

There are many theories and thoughts, but here's mine, and I wonder if it holds an important lesson for writers.

Why a picture of pipes and wires? Because this, the wisdom of the internet tells me, is a conduit. 

And when you become a conduit as an author, that's a big moment. 

You spend months planning the book and the characters, the settings, the twists and turns, and then you start to write. 

And, if it's working well, one day a beautiful and breathtaking moment comes. 

Instead of referring to your notes, and thinking about what happens next, the story and the people in it start to live for themselves. 

You're not writing a book any more. You're merely describing what's happening in front of your eyes. 

Just like a journalist does with a real life event. 

Which maybe helps to explain why lots of us journo types go on to become authors. 

We're used to being conduits. 

And that's a very handy helper in this wonderful writing life.