I want to write another story. I had a lot of fun with The Girl Who Lost Her Voice and although I am still in the process of finding the right illustration style, I am looking forward to another project, so much so in fact, that I pulled out my thumbdrive and clicked through my "Stories" folder [which is full of mostly incomplete/unedited ideas and rough drafts] for inspiration. I came up with a few ideas and I want to write but...I'm procrastinating.
Why is it so hard to sit down and write? Why am I just sitting here clicking through comics, facebook, and checking my e-mail every five seconds instead of penning the next great children's story? [tongue-in-cheek] I don't know. I don't know if I'm a "real" writer [someone who wants to write stories for a sort-of-living while working a part-time job to make ends meet, etc.] or not but I do enjoy the process of writing, I don't like editing very much and I am a very good procrastinator, all of which would point to me being at least partly serious about a writing career. I think.
I'm going to look at inspiration, story ideas, motivation, procrastination, and final products in order to get me in the mood to write the next story, whether it's the one about the girl and her monster friend or the one about a little boy who sneaks into summer camp for free. Here's hoping this actually works:
1. Inspiration - Writers have to be inspired. You can't just poop out a story. If you try that, you end up with what it is - crap. Something that will not sell. And something you won't be proud of. Some writers need quiet and lots of thinking time. Some need a coffee shop to scribble in or a place to walk. Others [like me] need constant music, or occasionally a movie or a place to sit down and wonder "what if...?" Whatever it is, writers are artists and need a muse before they begin writing, which is why I think sometimes we procrastinate. The right moment hasn't come yet and we aren't inspired enough.
2. Story ideas - I know a lot of people ask authors "Where do you get your story ideas?" which is really a silly question - how do we know? But there are a few things I have to reply to that with. Sometimes, ideas come into our head from nowhere. They just POP into our brain with no explanation and take us on an adventure. Other times, writers spend a lot of time thinking, letting their brains mull over things and then come up with a story based on things they've experienced or seen in real life. Another way to get story ideas is to notice what's around you and ask "what if" and put a twist on real life and bend it and see if it works. I've experienced all three - and it's fun to watch the process of all of it coming together.
3. Motivation - why do we write? For some, it's a job. They know they have good ideas, they are serious about becoming a great author and they work at it. It's a regular career choice for some. There are others that just HAVE to write. They are born with the itch to spill words from pens and don't care as much if they are well-known or make the best salary possible. They would just die if they couldn't write. I don't think I know any other kinds of writers.
4. Procrastination - Like I said above, I believe that we have to be inspired before we begin writing. Sometimes, though, no matter how many cups of coffee are drunk, no matter how much music is listened to, and no matter how many miles are walked, the inspiration is there and we simply sit and stare off into space. It's just not the right time or we don't feel like it or we simply DON'T DO IT. We just "waste" time. There's got to be a reason for this [brain following its own little train of thought??] but I don't know a good one. No excuse for procrastinating. At least I don't think so. If there is a good excuse, I'll probably use it some day. :)
5. Final/Finished Products - the majority of writers know that a product/story is never finished. Things can always be improved upon, added to, or edited. There is never enough time to make the best book in the world and you have to make the best you can. I wonder sometimes how I'll handle it. Reading a copy of my own book and wondering what would have happened if I...and then I have to realize that I just need to let it go and move on to the next thing. There are lots of artists/writers who keep editing for ages before they're ready to show the world their creation.
It's a brave step, not one that writers/artists take lightly. It's an interesting thing, seeing how your "baby" is accepted/rejected by the world. A bit daunting. Terrifying, even - but to get our ideas out there, we will brave the rejection slips and bad reviews. Why? I don't really know...paycheck for some, connection for others, and creating something that you want to read, who knows why we really write? It's a very interesting subject. And something I'm going to be thinking about for a while.
What are your thoughts?
I'm going to go try to at least write a poem. I need some good music.
Bye.
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