Changing My Writing Game

I have to admit I was resistant to change. Stuck in my writing ways until I decided to try something new, and surprisingly, I must admit it has helped tremendously and I couldn’t be happier that it has.

Deviating from a writing practice that has over the years given me results was difficult. But as my writing has evolved so too must the process.

So, did I need to change my writing process? Or rather the way I thought about writing? What was the problem to begin with?

I will tell you.

The Problem.

First, I will admit that for months I would sit at the computer and…nothing. Maybe, if I was lucky, a sentence or two would reward my 3-4 hour effort. My imagination would be rich with plots, characters and scenes scratching at the seams of my frontal lobe trying to get out.

I would hold them there, believing until I had the entirety of the situation or it completely mapped out in my head then they couldn’t be free, they weren’t ready. Instead, I would or rather I have played with story ideas for months on end. Never knowing where to begin or exactly how it all should end.

Then whilst on lunch I stumbled upon a website offering writing tips. The suggestion was to start with an outline, line out characters, a beginning, and an ending.

I have never been an outline girl. During my college years, I preferred to sit, sweat, and bang on the keys in my anxiety induced madness and drive home a story or an essay in what I consider to be the old fashioned way.

I tend to let the plot and characters clumsily fall out of my head and onto the page.

Know the direction in which to take your story.

This seemed cumbersome, a huge waste of time and energy, then I thought ‘give it a try; what do you have to lose?’ If you try it and nothing happens but one or two sentences then you are exactly where you started but if you try it and complete a page or two then you have gained. It was a no loss or an all gain situation and I hestantily grabbed my notebook from my bag and put pen to paper.

I gave it a try and I am glad to say it worked.

For one of my manuscripts, having a defined starting point was a much needed Hail Mary pass. Creating an outline for Karen, has unburdened my mind of her and now I can focus on a more pressing project. One that has been rattling around in my brain and aging in my stories binder for two years. Armed with a weapon I initially refused to pick up, I am ready for battle. I am now ready to begin my novel and I do so renewed and prepared for what lies ahead.

Tonight, 7pm

Tonight will be only my third virtual event and I must confess I am at a crossroads. What does one read when they, at the moment, have no new and edited material to pull from and have doubts about the piece that currently have in cue?

You go with your gut, you leave self doubt to brood in the other room. You take a chance and lift the yolk of perfection from your own neck you are only human after all.

But I must say, I need to take my own advice and go with my gut.

I hope to see you all tonight at Noir at the Bar. Link to register is below.

Am I good enough?

A question that looms in the background. “Am I good enough?” The answer is ‘Yes.”

I am sure no writer is immune to asking herself or himself on any given day “Am I good enough to do this?” In particular when one is starting out the question always arises instilling doubt and most of all fear.

This fear is all consuming and can cause the pen to quiver and hand to become unsteady on the keys when trying to sit and knock out a few pages. This doubt often creeps in and settles in the bottom of my belly much like a lead weight. Keeping me in place and reminding me that the road to publishing is a rocky one.

This rocky road is one we must all travel, and we must travel alone. One can lose hope on the journey and as they make their way they will encounter confusing and misleading information, scammers that promise overnight success, and the nay-sayers who’s words will nestle in your mind like a tick and overtime will suck the life force and snuff out any creative drive.

As writers, we are solitary creatures bundled up and hunched over our laptops and notebooks coffee hot and chilling by the minute as we toil away putting thoughts and ideas into words in an attempt to bring to fruition what others cannot see. It is easy to forget that we are not alone in this space and that countless others have made this journey and have come out the other side wiser and brandishing spoils from a battle long fought.

Knowing that I am not alone gives me the hope to trek on.