I have a confession to make: I haven’t been writing.
Sure, I’ve been doing my freelance stuff—writing blog posts, newsletters, and website copy for clients—but I haven’t been writing for myself. Putting pen to paper or hands on keyboard and just going for it. I’ve almost forgotten how it all works.
That’s what happens when you give up creative writing for a couple months: it becomes difficult. Words don’t effortlessly enter your brain; characters that you’ve developed lose their distinct voices. Even now, as I’m typing this blog post, I’m thinking, “Ugh. This writing is awful.”
Never mind. At least I’m writing. I’m starting over. I’m renewing my focus on my work, my words.
Some people think that creativity comes to writers in ethereal bursts—we wrangle it from the air and channel it onto paper. Sure, that might be true some days, but the majority of our creativity comes from doing, not waiting for something to happen that will prompt us into feverous fits of writing.
With this in mind, I’ve decided to stop waiting, to stop making excuses for my empty notepad. Sure, I’ve been busy (I’ve picked up two new clients in the past two months, started working on a new business plan, etc.), but I’ve also wasted a lot of time simply because I haven’t felt like writing.
Time to change my tune. This year, I’ve decided to compose a short story a week—52 short stories from November 2015 to November 2016—and put them up on my blog. Why make them public? So the world can hold me accountable for my goal. Even if only a handful of people end up reading my stories, I’ll still feel the pressure to create somethingeach week.
I’m not entirely shelving my current novel-in-progress (it’s been 2 ½ years of struggle…), but I know that it’s time to give myself a new focus, something to keep my writing sharp.
So, here goes. I’ve got my megaphone out and I’m shouting my intention to whoever is listening. I’m not sure what will spring out of my brain this coming year, but I’d love for you to join me on my journey. Subscribe (if you haven’t already) and see what happens. Let’s write.
Author: KateBitters
Kate Bitters is a Minneapolis-based author and freelance writer. She is the author of Elmer Left, Ten Thousand Lines, and He Found Me. One of her proudest/nerdiest moments was when Neil Gaiman read one of her short stories on stage at the Fitzgerald Theater.
Hahahaha! I feel your pain. Just gotta do it. Make yourself do it. I have had long stretches of inactivity, usually in the summer. Eventually I force myself back to the computer and voila! I rediscover why I like writing.
That's just it, Karl. I just have to sit down and DO IT. Make it a priority. Going to try to get back into my writing groups too, so maybe you'll see me this week!