Reflecting on Writing every single day.
Good Morning, Happy Wednesday, how are you??? I am tired from not sleeping well last night. As most of you know, I have been participating in a challenge called Fictober, where I write a fanfiction every single day for the month of October. I started this challenge to see if I could write a story every single day. If you want to check out my stories, you can find them here:
https://archiveofourown.org/series/1503431
I have learned something about my writing and myself throughout this month of writing.
The writer’s block is hard.
Okay, I am don’t usually struggle with writer’s block. Often the idea for a story is fast and nagging. Its something that I need to write about, and the act of writing is almost like an itch. So writer’s block is something I’m unfamiliar with. However, this month, it became my friend. For it was literally like a stone wall, and no words would come to mind. Nothing just staring at an empty scene hoping the words would come. Usually, the only way to break writer’s block was for me to think or do something else. Then later, when I came back to it, the words would flow again.
Sometimes procrastination happens.
I had lofty ideas to write every single day and sometimes be a day ahead, however as the month progressed, I found myself more comfortable with instead of writing the day before just writing what I need the day of. Some of my stories were better than the ones that I planned out.
Writing the endings of each story was confusing.
I could write the beginning and middle and conclusion with no problem but the endings of each story I always had issues with. How do I finish up everything with it sounding cliche? How do you the fanfiction reader the satisfaction of walking away and feeling like I had closure? I struggled each day how to find the best ending. I mostly wrote one-shots. A one-shot is when a writer writes a fic that can stand alone and not part of a series. So how do I finish each story? I still haven’t found the cookie-cutter ending that brings closure. However, every story doesn’t need a cookie-cutter ending.
Finally Writing needs a balance.
I love writing. I love the sound of typing at my computer and letting the thought in my head flow down to my fingers. However, throughout this month, I need to find balance. Balance with my work schedule. Balance with conversations with my husband. Balance that writing was not the only thing I need to focus on. There were days that I was stressed because of writing, and there were days that I was excited to write. Balance when I need to have meaningful conversations with others. Balance that during a busy month, it’s okay not to write every single day. Even balance when approaching the prompt.
If you are an aspiring writer, I will challenge you to try this challenge. I felt like I grew as a writer and also experiences the lows of writing as well. It was draining at times and reward at others. Well, now its the end of the blog, and I have run out of words to write yet again.
For it is by grace, you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
TTFN and God Bless you and keep you
Danie with an E reflections 