Writing with Purpose

In my day job, I research, fact find, and develop curriculum.  There is a correct and incorrect.

But in my own world, wrapped up in a furry warm blanket and drinking a hot Hazellatte, I spit words onto the keyboard that sometimes have no meaning.  Some words I've made up and other actual words that my story assigns new meaning - like writing your own dictionary. 
Breathing life into a character that no where in the world does this person really exist is FUN to say the least.  I can close my eyes and envision my characters - what they look like, how they act, and how they sound.
The tricky part comes when its time to live real life, outside of the fantasy world.  Putting the computer down brings a level of guilt as their lives are put on hold when my fingers stop typing.  The characters remain in a state of limbo while I go off and live my life.  They sit idle waiting for the next round of words to move them forward in their moment in time.

My genre (middle grade/young adult fantasy fiction) can sometimes be a struggle, but with my own captive audience of middle grade/young adult children I can test drive my story with my target audience.  A few squiggled noses and some deer in the headlight looks, I've tweaked it here and there and everywhere, we've pulled together a great story!  Something different - never what you would expect.