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M nags me all the time about writing.
He does it because he knows it's in my best interests. I know it's in my best interests, too, which is what makes it irritating. I've wanted to write since I was approximately six years old. That interest grew and faded throughout the rest of my life--anyone who's been in Kentucky public schools in the last decade or so knows when and why my interest faded, but that's not something I'll gripe about now--but it's never disappeared. I feel awkward even saying all this because I've rarely used this journal as a place to write for the sake of writing. I'm too lazy to pour my heart into a daily or semi-daily effort to be a blog star, and I just generally like to record things as they happen for posterity's sake.
He varies his approach. Sometimes he taunts me with the notion of having something published; sometimes it's the idea of setting my own working hours. Sometimes it's just to remind me of how much I enjoy it when I get started. I'm not sure exactly what he said today at lunch, but it was particularly effective, and I've realized again that he's so completely right, and more than that.. I'll never ever know what I could do unless I do it. And if I never get anything published.. at least I can say that I've written multiple novels, right? That's more than most people, and if all else fails I can alway publish it myself and force it on friends and family--I have a laser printer and I'm not afraid to use it. ;)
Now the only thing I need to decide is what specifically I'm going to do about this renewed enthusiasm. For the last month or two, I've been toying with the idea of doing Nanowrimo again. I can't entirely decide if that's the best choice for me, or if I should just write like a normal human being. Nano was fun, it was a great experience, but there's also a tremendous amount of pressure. Last year, I wasn't really working, either, so I had plenty of time for it. This year, I have a real job (albeit one where I'll have fourteen total days off work, including weekends, during November) and an issue of Mosaic Minds that goes live on December 1... ironic that something that I started working on to enable myself to write more is something that has limited my inclination to write, eh*? Anyway. I know plenty of people do it while working full-time, but I don't necessarily want to be completely stressed out for an entire month, either. I also don't want to put something off until November and then possibly lose my determination before then, or feel compelled to rush something that would be better taken slowly.
Basically, I just need to decide on a plan and stick with it. I need to come up with my story, I need to come up with my characters, I need to come up with my schedule and I need to come up with my discipline. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Perfectly do-able. Also, while I'm at it, I really need to sit my butt down on the exercise bike for the first time since we moved. It's time I stopped "settling in" to my new life and just start living it.
*Ironic, but is it any different than any other way in which I procrastinate? I'm very self-defeating sometimes.
He does it because he knows it's in my best interests. I know it's in my best interests, too, which is what makes it irritating. I've wanted to write since I was approximately six years old. That interest grew and faded throughout the rest of my life--anyone who's been in Kentucky public schools in the last decade or so knows when and why my interest faded, but that's not something I'll gripe about now--but it's never disappeared. I feel awkward even saying all this because I've rarely used this journal as a place to write for the sake of writing. I'm too lazy to pour my heart into a daily or semi-daily effort to be a blog star, and I just generally like to record things as they happen for posterity's sake.
He varies his approach. Sometimes he taunts me with the notion of having something published; sometimes it's the idea of setting my own working hours. Sometimes it's just to remind me of how much I enjoy it when I get started. I'm not sure exactly what he said today at lunch, but it was particularly effective, and I've realized again that he's so completely right, and more than that.. I'll never ever know what I could do unless I do it. And if I never get anything published.. at least I can say that I've written multiple novels, right? That's more than most people, and if all else fails I can alway publish it myself and force it on friends and family--I have a laser printer and I'm not afraid to use it. ;)
Now the only thing I need to decide is what specifically I'm going to do about this renewed enthusiasm. For the last month or two, I've been toying with the idea of doing Nanowrimo again. I can't entirely decide if that's the best choice for me, or if I should just write like a normal human being. Nano was fun, it was a great experience, but there's also a tremendous amount of pressure. Last year, I wasn't really working, either, so I had plenty of time for it. This year, I have a real job (albeit one where I'll have fourteen total days off work, including weekends, during November) and an issue of Mosaic Minds that goes live on December 1... ironic that something that I started working on to enable myself to write more is something that has limited my inclination to write, eh*? Anyway. I know plenty of people do it while working full-time, but I don't necessarily want to be completely stressed out for an entire month, either. I also don't want to put something off until November and then possibly lose my determination before then, or feel compelled to rush something that would be better taken slowly.
Basically, I just need to decide on a plan and stick with it. I need to come up with my story, I need to come up with my characters, I need to come up with my schedule and I need to come up with my discipline. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Perfectly do-able. Also, while I'm at it, I really need to sit my butt down on the exercise bike for the first time since we moved. It's time I stopped "settling in" to my new life and just start living it.
*Ironic, but is it any different than any other way in which I procrastinate? I'm very self-defeating sometimes.
