Changing Directions

By Phyllis f. McManus

I’ve been revisiting some of my first books over the past several weeks. I was anxious to see if I still approved of my style of writing or if I should decide to change and go into an entirely different direction.

I started writing in the late part of 2002 when I lost both my parents in a car accident. I had lost not only my parents, but myself as well.  After several discussions with my doctor, I decided to start writing as a form of therapy.

I took a deep breath, placed pen in hand and started writing about Momma and Daddy. I kept an old picture in front of me of my parents and me as a child. I hoped this would keep me pointed in the right direction.

I wrote with a fury, throwing my heart and soul into each page. After putting more tears on the paper than words I decided to go from nonfiction to fiction, change directions and continue with writing.  This seemed to work for me, and after a few months I had my first book called Forever Girl. It was set in the 1930’s.

I found that for some reason I liked placing my characters in these years, but research was a must for getting the exact clothing, cars and even news events correct for this time period.

After a couple of books in this time zone, I changed directions and decided to write in the time period of around 2010. By now my style of writing had actually started to change also. I found my characters becoming sassy, much more Southern and had a slight attitude. This was a sure sign that writing had become just what the doctor had ordered for me.

I have enjoyed my journey of writing and recommend it to everyone that needs a change in their life. It might be simply writing in a diary or keeping a journal of their everyday memories.

Changing directions in one’s life can be hard, but it can also be a rewarding event. After eight books, public speaking, and several articles for magazines, I am proof of this fact. Never settle for one direction in life. Take a chance and go for whatever your dreams may be. You will never know unless you try.

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Phyllis f. McManus is a Southern fiction writer. She lives in North Carolina and enjoys her country way of living. Her community is small and everyone knows one another. They are always eager to be a helping hand in suggesting her plots for her next book. She draws a lot of her imagination from her neighbors and friends. Magically, they become her characters with the names being changed. She has published eight books and is currently working on two more.