Follow Author Out of all the creative outlets I've explored in my life—painting, drawing, crafting, baking (yes, I count extravagant cake decorating as a creative outlet), writing is the one thing that got me hooked for better or worse.
Writing is amazing.
It lets you escape into another world/dimension/reality without ever leaving the comfort of your office/couch/bed/floor (or wherever you like to work. I prefer sitting in comfortable chair at a sturdy table doused in natural light.)
Writing is also a curse.
As many writers will attest, writing is a compulsion, an addiction and, let's face it, a form of OCD—though I'm pretty sure it hasn't made the official Chap V of the WHO's International classification of diseases.
There are so many hashtags out there relating to writing and writers. The writing community seems to be pulsing to a common beat (hear: heart pounding to the cries of a doubt-riddled mind).
#amwriting #writerslife #writersproblems #plotting
As any writer will tell you, writing is about rewriting.
The process of writing is exciting and invigorating. But it is also extenuating.
Before you lay eyes on the first page of that new book by your favorite author, A LOT of work has gone into the process. A. LOT.
#YouKnowYouAreAWriterWhen
But before you can become enthralled to compulsive bouts of copyediting, here is a little something to keep you (and your raging muse) sane when life gets in the way of writing.
It all starts with a good old fashion pen and an inspiring notebook.
Alright! Now that you're all set, go.
As I believe, meditating is as much part of writing as laying words on paper (punching letters on a keyboard sounds less epic).
Write longhand scenes, chapter outlines, dialogue snippets—inspiration and creativity are quite peculiar manifestations: they often surface at the oddest moments. So be ready to cast your net and catch those swarming ideas. Your muse will thank you for it—she is after all at the end of the line you're reeling!
But the story won't write itself, and, as Jane Friedman says, at the end of the day (or in the wee hours of early morning) you have to show up. You have to commit to sit down and type away.
Commit to your story, commit to your muse, commit to yourself. Whatever it takes. Make it happen.
V.E. Schwab has a sticker system and puts a glittery star on her calendar for every 500 words she writes. Thank the writing gods she's a powerhouse of a writer. I love her stuff. A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows, This Savage Song.
Whatever it takes. Make it happen.
#YouKnowYouAreAWriterWhen Part 2
Published by May K. Hella
Written by May K. Hella
7 years ago 
