Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Time To Write

{Via}

Sometimes, you just have to sit yourself down, and write.  Maybe your story isn’t seeming too interesting right now, or your characters are fighting.  Maybe you’re not sure how you want to continue.

But you have to.

You have to just settle down, avoid distractions, and start writing.  Let the characters take hold, and see where they’ll take you.

And even as I type this, I realize that I haven’t been doing this.  I’ve been pushing away the thought of starting a new novel.  I’ve been pushing away the thought of continuing work on a novel I was working on over the summer.  And I don’t know why.  Maybe I’m just unsure of my writing abilities at the moment.  Maybe I’m scared.  I don’t really know.  But what I do know, is that I have to sit myself down, and start to write.  I have to start that new story I’ve been working on—sure, I’ve been saying I’m almost ready to start, but have I been pushing myself to finish the final stages of planning?  No.  I’ve been letting myself get distracted, letting my attention wander.  And I can’t do that.  I want to write.  No.  I need to write.  But have I been writing? 

No.

And how is this possible?  In November, I had words flowing from my fingers.  I was happy, and writing away.  But right now?  Nothing.  The occasionally story idea hits me, but it soon fizzles out.  And because of that, I’ve gotten scared.

What if this new idea doesn’t do anything?  What if it fizzles out, like all those other ideas I had?  What if… What if… What if…

And I know it’s cheesy, and people say it all the time, but I have to stop thinking about the what-if’s, and just start writing.  Because I can’t just keep doing this, pushing away my writing.  Because writing is something that I feel lost without. 

So, I’m going to make myself start writing again.  Writing is something I love, and I need.  And I need to teach myself to write every day.  Writing every day is part of why I love NaNoWriMo.  It gets you to just sit down, and write, even if you aren’t really sure if your story makes sense, or if you like it, or whatever.  It gives you motivation to write.

And I need motivation.  I have to start writing again.  I use school as an excuse to not write, saying, “Oh, I had a lot of homework.”  But you know what?  If I can spend hours lollygagging on the internet on school nights, I can most certainly put away half an hour, or an hour, and just write.  And sure, there will be some nights when I can’t do that. But that's okay, because most nights I can.  

So, I’m going to start writing again.  I’m going to either do a rewrite, or just a revision, I’m not sure, of my NaNo10.  I’m going to do a read-through of a novel I started over the summer, that I abandoned about 20,000 words in, and perhaps start writing on it again, after having read through it.  And I’m going to start a new novel idea I’ve had filed away in my brain for a few weeks. 

So I’m pushing away this writer’s block that has settled over me like a blanket, since November.  I’m pushing it away, and I’m going to start writing again.

The Dandy Lioness

P.S.  Sorry if this post is kind of ramble-y and 
repetitive.  I just needed to get this out of my system, and write it down.

7 comments:

  1. Not writing? Sounds familiar. :/ My dear, I sympathize.

    You're completely right, however. The only way to get rid of writer's block is to write. In fact, reading your post has strengthened my resolve. I need to stop avoiding my writing and start working on it. It's interesting in a way--personally, I started a blog so that I would be at least writing more, even it wasn't creative writing. Among other reasons, I was hoping it would fuel my creativity.

    May the best of luck be with you--not that you need it. :)

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  2. Glad to know it helped you, Mika! That's part of why I started my blog as well, to give me another place to write more.

    And I wish you luck as well, my dear.

    -The Dandy Lioness

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  3. I know what you mean. I love NaNoWriMo for the fact that it makes me sit down and get my writing done. Recently, the past two weeks, I've been physically leaving to go write. I decided that nothing gets done when I have so many distractions in my apartment. I go to a coffee shop, turn on my internet, and write. :) It really helps.

    You can do it. Write. :)

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  4. "Let the characters take hold, and see where they’ll take you."

    Exactly!

    Writers block can be cured by a dose of writing anything, be it coherent or not. Eventually, ones bran will kick into gear and off you will go!

    Writers block is a temporary illness cured by the medicine of passion. (I ought to document that!)

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  5. YES! I completely know the feeling, I sympathize, and I encourage you - GET IT DONE, Sofia!!! Nothing's worth doing where a risk is not involved. =)

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  6. It sounds like you've been picking up on my thoughts or something. :) It's true--eventually you just have to start writing again.

    I love the new blog look, by the way!

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  7. Do you know what I think? I think a lot of authors have trouble at one time or another with writing. I’m at that place. I have enough ideas, ideas that I really like, but they just aren’t presenting themselves in the way I like to write them. I’m all busy with blogging, with work, with editing, working on designing book covers… Writing is getting pushed aside.

    Do you realize how much it helps to be held accountable? Is there anyone out there who wants to work with me to keep ourselves writing? I mean it could be as simple as sending an email saying ‘I wrote this many words today, and my goal for tomorrow is this many words’ or we could even send the stuff we’re writing back and forth. Anyone interested? My blog is www.aidylewoh.blogspot.com. If you like the idea, you can leave me a comment and I’ll get in touch with you that way.

    Thanks!
    ~Aidyl

    www.aidylewoh.blogspot.com

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