So, I have trouble motivating myself to write. I enjoy it all well enough, but I hate sucking at anything. And, let's be honest- I'm new to writing. Which means my first drafts suck, and they suck hard. But, that doesn't mean I shouldn't try. And unless I publish this in some form I'm likely to forget and just not stick to it. So I intend to make myself write a page a day of my ghost story. Specifically my ghost story and nothing else. If I get a good idea for one of my other stories I will of course note it, but that can't be my focus. I have what is basically all my life to work on it (and that's the likely outcome) but this has a time limit. So starting today, the 10th, until the 30th I will write one page a day, though not limited to a single page if I happen to hit a writing streak. I'm not intending this to be a 20 page short story so I'm hoping that this will leave me time to edit and make it not crappy, but I need to finish something because if I can't do this who's to say I will ever be able to finish anything else?
5 comments:
My grandfather is a professional writer and he told me something very useful to a budding writer. You must keep the story going everyday because you're going to lose interest in it very quickly if you put it off. It's pretty true too. So the one page a day plan you've got going sounds like a good one. Keep at it :)
Hahah yeah... and I lose interest in things pretty quickly if I don't keep at them. How's your writing been going lately anyway? I miss your adorable poems.
Who's your grandfather? xD He got any tips for novel writing? I'm just working on a short story for the moment.
He's not world famous or anything but he's pretty well known here at home. His name is Ralph Modder. He wrote a lot of non fiction and fiction about the war days and also did lots of journaling of the country's growth. He's also into horror and ghost stories and has published some recently. Though for those books, he used a nom de plume. Well, he didn't really give me many tips because he said it's best to find what works for yourself but he did mention something about never attempting to write something that you can't clearly see a beginning, middle and an end to. Writing freestyle is good as an exercise but if you want to write a full story, you can't make it up as you go along because you are more than likely to give up after frequent blocks.
My writing is kind of stagnant. Probably because I didn't follow gramps' first tip. Hahah. Then again I'm always like this. I read my work over again and feel like it's worthless. Also I'm grappling with whether or not I should continue writing with myself as a character since it may seem self indulgent. The thing is the story is based on a group of friends I used to be really close to and I can't seem to write it properly if I don't use all our names. But enough about my crud haha.
What is your story about? I remember a long time ago we were talking about how you wanted to start writing. I've always wanted to read a piece by you! :D
The short story I'm working on is actually a ghost story lol. It's not horror, I guess it's more of a comedy adventure? :) I'll definitely send it to you once I've gotten it done, I'm almost half way through it now.
I do miss your writing. You can always come up with new plans if the old ones arn't working out for you. And his advice seems pretty good... I have a few stories I'd like to write, and I know the beginning and endings, it's just turning them into full books I have trouble with! Getting from here to there hahah. But... hopefully with practice :) I'll find my way.
Hopefully I'll be doing lots more writing in college. Which btw I'll be heading to soon. Just got my letter from a university in Australia and I'm heading there next month :P I'll let you read some of it sometime! I'm gonna be studying journalism so I'm sure it'd get pretty dry. But I'll do my best to stay imaginative haha.
I'm pretty sure you're going to find your way fast :) It takes planning but not too much of it. There's a delicate balance you have to find so you don't get burned out overthinking a story and still manage to create a solid skeleton structure. It'll be awesome to read your short story. Sounds pretty good already actually! Writing comedy is tough...I've never had much success in it myself but I try now and then. Keep at it! :3 Think of every story you write as a level up. Talent aside, (Since we already know you have alot of that) if you can devote yourself to your work enough to complete it then you have what it takes to become a writer.
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