I have a confession to make: I haven't written in a month and a half. Besides nonsensical emails to friends bemoaning the loss of my muse, my hands have been sadly separated from my keyboard. Even when I found time to sit down and write, I haven't worked on my WIP, or my new ideas, or my secret-project-that-I-shouldn't-think-about-despite-its-awesomeness-because-it-distracts-me-from-my-WIP.
I know. And I call myself a writer.
I panicked for a while. Have I run dry? Have I lost interest because it's hard sometimes? Do I really not have what it takes? Should I stop blogging about writing when I'm so obviously a poser?
But then, a few days ago, I had a breakthrough. I was reading a book that I really enjoyed, but when I finished I thought, "That ending was anticlimactic." It wasn't terrible. The story was good. It just wasn't...earth shattering.
And then I realized that I'd paralyzed myself while waiting for my writing to become earth shattering, too.
Now, based on my blog posts, I'm sure you all would be expecting nothing less than deep and profound from me (why are you laughing?), but its not likely to happen. I write for fun, and I expect people will read my stories for fun, and if I inspire the odd revolution, well, that's really just icing on the cupcake.
I don't need to shatter the earth. I have a story to tell. It's a good story. People will enjoy it. So now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take my self-inflicted pressure suit off (*psshhhhh*) (That's me taking off my pressure suit.) and write with reckless abandon. Reckless, I tell you. With maybe an anticlimactic plot twist or two.
Thoughts more or less in order. Probably less.
9 comments:
Great post!
That's whats happening with me now. I thought why bother if my writing isn't that good?
*psshhhhh*
Maybe I'll write some today... Not maybe. I WILL write some today.
And it'll be the most anti-climatic awesome thing ever. Ever.
I'll be first in line for the revolution. And I'm sure your writing is earth-shattering good because it is yours and yours alone. Get going and have fun!
Yeah for breakthroughs!! I'm not a writer but I'm sure every writer goes through a time where they sit at the computer reading their story and thinking it's crap and that their story is going no where and all that stuff. So, I hope you remember that if you go through a "dry spell" again. Also, you're awesome.
Is your super secret project a story about a sister in law that is awesome and amazing. It is...I know. ;)
I'll echo Luanne~ hooray for breakthroughs! Great post :)
If your goal is to be earth-shattering, you'll never get past mediocre for all the beating-up you'll do to yourself. But if your goal is to be honest to your story (which *is* a really good one, by the way), then I believe you will hit little pockets of earth-shatter as you go. Did "I Capture the Castle" change the world? Not really. But did it leave a lasting impression on me (and you, perhaps?) that's helped shape how I view literature? Definitely. :A)
First off, I love that "self inflicted pressure suit" is one of your labels.
Second, you would probably be rather red-faced and flattered if you had any idea how often your story comes to mind and I lay awake at night and sit and guess where you're going to take it and what's going to happen.
So...your premise is strong enough to drive me nuts. Congratulations.
Also, we were going pretty good there for a few months writing like a relay team. I feel like I just kind of handed you the baton and went off to la-la land. Well don't worry friend, the torch is still lit, and there is work yet to do!
Congrats on your breakthrough! I haven't written something new for a while. I've just been dragging my feet through endless revisions. It's frustrating and I can't wait to get back to that reckless writing! Have fun :)
Good luck with your breakthrough! Enjoy the ride. Definitely.
You are so, so right. Just write! :) Best of luck with everything!
Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)
ps. You totally get the Brian Regan awesome points :) Also, I've got a new vlog on YouTube meant to inspire the muse, if you're interested in checking it out. There are links on the blog.
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