December 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?
I love writing.
Up until four years ago, I thought I was going to be a writer “when I grew up.” Half my B.A. deals with writing, and ever since grade school, I’ve won poetry competitions at state and college levels. Words are beautiful pearls I find great joy in stringing together.
At times, I can be prolific, writing over 1,000 words a day. Other times, I can go without for days, weeks, months. It isn’t for a lack of love or ideas - my brain is constantly bouncing with ideas, turns of phrase, small scenes I watch like movies against my eyelids. Is it any wonder I decided on a career writing television shows? There is simply something amazing about good, solid writing. And while prose calls to me (I remember being told I put too many screen directions in my first script!), the challenge of telling a story with a simple shot or exchange of words thrills me.
And yet I haven’t written one word of a script since graduating from college.
I think I felt there was no point, seeing as, physically, I wouldn’t be able to handle the long hours demanded of those in my dream profession. And I really don’t have any interest in writing films. Have a written a full-length screenplay? Yes. But the serial nature of a television show, the days, weeks, and years we get to spend with amazing, memorable characters and situations - to me, that is the most enjoyable form of storytelling.
For all the years I’ve written fanfiction (and yes, I write it. In fact, I’ve written at least 1,000 pages of it in the past 13 years), I’ve only done one original screen play and one novel when counting fiction. I’ve done a dozen ‘zine and magazine articles.
I want to write more essays. Even if they’re seen only on my blog. I want to hear that click-clack of keys late into the night, a hot cup of tea steaming on the desk next to me. I could wear a tattered robe and growl at people, or maybe even be the quiet one.
I don’t know. Lately, I’ve been wanting to write poetry again, if only because it’s something I know I’m good at. And more scripts. And more stories. More articles to share my experience, to inspire and enlighten. Heck, even more fanfics (I have one in my head I must write for a friend)!
So, what’s stopping me?
Most of the time, it’s me. I stand in my way by making plans and then sitting down to watch a movie instead of curling up in bed with my netbook and writing. Or I run errands and decide not to stop at Starbucks for a half-hour for writing time. I think I need to give it the same priority in my life I give my art or experiments. Just...write. For the hell of it. For fun.
For myself.