Fire

I built a fire yesterday in the grill and I thought about how fire is used in writing. In fantasy writing, fire and camping out while on your great adventure is a common practice. But how much do you write about it?

I had no end of trouble building my fire yesterday. Normally I have a pretty easy go at getting a fire started. I started thinking of the conflict that can be created by or the lack of fire. Too much fire and it becomes a living breathing hungry enemy. While the lack of fire can be just as dangerous. I have written of only one scene using a fire but did not think much of it.

“Justine built a fire ring of stones, while Rachael gathered twigs and branches for the fire.” 

That’s all I wrote even though it had been raining earlier in the story and the wood would be damp causing the women trouble getting it started in real world situation. I toyed with using fire in the form of a forest fire. However, I don’t feel I controlled it well enough to be believable. I will have to edit and rethink that part of the story action. Part of this comes from not really understanding how a forest fire operates. I need to research more about it and in the western part of the US there have been a plethera of fires lately. 

By the way if you are wondering I got the fire started with the help of my hubby. Mmm the food turned out excellent. That maybe another topic for another day. Cheers,