About Writing And Me
By Robin de Voh on 2017-09-13
Writing, for me, is a natural thing to do. I don't do it enough, however, and that's why I've started doing the Fortnightly Stories. I intend to do this all year through, mostly to stop myself from falling into a writing hole after NaNoWriMo like the past year (so far) and last year.
I've had submission windows for literary mags in my calendar for a year, and I've submitted nothing.
Yet over the past 2 years I've written 2 novels (quality notwithstanding) and at the point of writing this, about 46 stories.
So what happened?
While writing is natural to me, I found I just didn't sit down to do it often enough. It's really easy to consume rather than create, and life has a tendency to get hectic from time to time. When life is hectic, it's easier to sit back and just enjoy some moving images rather than work some more after the paid work is done. It actually felt like work, rather than relaxation, which it used to be.
But no more.
I used to think back with jealousy to a time where I had far more free time. Where I wrote constantly (quality notwithstanding) because I just didn't have much else to do. Where I'd sit in the bar with pen and paper and soak up conversations around me that would give me ideas for stories. I felt, for a long time, that it sucked that I had less time and a significant amount of other, important, things to do.
But I was wrong. I wrote then because I was bored and generally just didn't sleep very much. It fits with the 'pained artist' kind of vibe, but it wasn't healthy. It certainly isn't a situation I'd like to get back to.
So I need to figure out a better way of writing for the right reason -- because I just really want to write.
I've only done two fortnightly stories so far, but I find my brain working overtime as a result. I've got ideas. I'm reading again and watching the kind of shows that spark my imagination, consuming media that adds to my mind rather than just occupying it.
I started this site for the purpose of sharing my NaNoPrep and NaNoWriMo process and hoped it would entice me to post more stuff throughout the year to stay active.
It took a while, but I think I'm there.
It's important to note, however, that the stories I write for the Fortnightly series are exercises for me. I intend to try out genres and styles I'm not that familiar or comfortable with. I've never done a proper action scene, for example, as I wouldn't know where to start and that idea scares me.
What if I suck at it?
I'd better find out!