Good morning, darlings! Again, I am approaching this blog with a blank mind. For the past several years, my approach to writing has been, plan it, work it, write it, fix it, study it, hate it, work it again. I agonized over what all the best-selling writers were doing.
James Patterson pumped his formulas out twice a year. I could see through his writing, I knew how he did it, but when I sat down to pump out a quick, crowd-pleasing, formulaic novel, I had to war with myself. Every word came out with the same effort it would take to pry a steel cube out of my skin. I gave up my formulaic writing ambitions, but I clung to the idea that my writing had to be mulled over to be excellent. So I planned, I wrote, and I worked it.
I wouldn't write without a plan. I working out all the connecting ideas, but when I sat down to write, the connections fell apart, or I was bored with the idea, but I forced it out.
I scheduled writing time and made myself view it as a job. But, like most slacker employees, I spent my time on Facebook, or watching YouTube videos, or drinking herbal tea and saying, "Too bad I can't type while holding this mug," and then poured myself some more. Thirty minutes before my scheduled time was up, I wrote furiously, starting and finishing a project while barely noticing it.
I gave myself rewards, $1 for every hour of writing. I could spend my reward money on anything my heart desired. (I was saving for a pair of Tiffany diamond studs.) When writing time whirled around, I spent two hours browsing jewelry at Tiffany.com.
I approached this blog that way. I planned, scheduled, rewarded, pumped myself up, and forced myself to post thrice weekly. It was like crying and pleading with a stubborn dog to just sit. Why won't he just sit? Writing was hard and, mostly, not enjoyable.
As I progressed along this blogging path toward Home, I lost some of the forcefulness of writing, but still held onto other writing ideas. I still struggled and didn't enjoy, and I edited a lot. But one day, knowing I had lots of ideas, but not remembering any of them, I decided to write without a plan. I opened my blog instead of a word document, which is how I usually wrote. As I typed, I found, not only did I have lots to say, but my words came out much more clearly than my strictly planned writing, with all its rules.
So my writing has changed. It is more fun, more free, and from my heart. I no longer struggle with distractions, because I'm fully engrossed. I don't know if the casual reader has noticed anything different, but for me, it is an enormous change. Writing is a joy I look forward to now, rather than a task I force myself into. I don't know about you, but I can see a difference in my writing as I have evolved. I'm sure my writing will continue changing as I go through this process.
And to think that I was worried about my writing fading with happiness. I wasn't aware writing was such a struggle, until the struggle was over. Now, rather than forcing writing upon myself, it grows endlessly and organically from my heart.
(I'm glad I failed at my formulaic writing endeavors.)
James Patterson pumped his formulas out twice a year. I could see through his writing, I knew how he did it, but when I sat down to pump out a quick, crowd-pleasing, formulaic novel, I had to war with myself. Every word came out with the same effort it would take to pry a steel cube out of my skin. I gave up my formulaic writing ambitions, but I clung to the idea that my writing had to be mulled over to be excellent. So I planned, I wrote, and I worked it.
I wouldn't write without a plan. I working out all the connecting ideas, but when I sat down to write, the connections fell apart, or I was bored with the idea, but I forced it out.
I scheduled writing time and made myself view it as a job. But, like most slacker employees, I spent my time on Facebook, or watching YouTube videos, or drinking herbal tea and saying, "Too bad I can't type while holding this mug," and then poured myself some more. Thirty minutes before my scheduled time was up, I wrote furiously, starting and finishing a project while barely noticing it.
I gave myself rewards, $1 for every hour of writing. I could spend my reward money on anything my heart desired. (I was saving for a pair of Tiffany diamond studs.) When writing time whirled around, I spent two hours browsing jewelry at Tiffany.com.
I approached this blog that way. I planned, scheduled, rewarded, pumped myself up, and forced myself to post thrice weekly. It was like crying and pleading with a stubborn dog to just sit. Why won't he just sit? Writing was hard and, mostly, not enjoyable.
As I progressed along this blogging path toward Home, I lost some of the forcefulness of writing, but still held onto other writing ideas. I still struggled and didn't enjoy, and I edited a lot. But one day, knowing I had lots of ideas, but not remembering any of them, I decided to write without a plan. I opened my blog instead of a word document, which is how I usually wrote. As I typed, I found, not only did I have lots to say, but my words came out much more clearly than my strictly planned writing, with all its rules.
So my writing has changed. It is more fun, more free, and from my heart. I no longer struggle with distractions, because I'm fully engrossed. I don't know if the casual reader has noticed anything different, but for me, it is an enormous change. Writing is a joy I look forward to now, rather than a task I force myself into. I don't know about you, but I can see a difference in my writing as I have evolved. I'm sure my writing will continue changing as I go through this process.
And to think that I was worried about my writing fading with happiness. I wasn't aware writing was such a struggle, until the struggle was over. Now, rather than forcing writing upon myself, it grows endlessly and organically from my heart.
(I'm glad I failed at my formulaic writing endeavors.)