A few years ago I quit my job and focussed only on writing for 12 months straight. Looked for writing competitions, wrote like a maniac.
I bumped into this big writing competition I really cared about, sat down started writing and don’t know what happened. Planets aligned, a fortunate series of coincidences, don’t know, no idea, but I w…
A few years ago I quit my job and focussed only on writing for 12 months straight. Looked for writing competitions, wrote like a maniac.
I bumped into this big writing competition I really cared about, sat down started writing and don’t know what happened. Planets aligned, a fortunate series of coincidences, don’t know, no idea, but I wrote 5k words in 48h. It was good. I loved it. I laughed so much working on it.
I remember I thought, “What the hell, what’s all that big fuss about writing block and stuff. I can write a book in 2 weeks. Damn, I’m good at this.”
It turned out it never happened again. Never ever managed to wrote such a good stuff in such a short amount of time. The story didn’t get picked up. Although it’s one of those I still cherish today.
What I’m trying to say is that 500 words a day is great pace to have. Keep up the good work Brandan. And good luck with your writing.
Thanks, man. I’m hoping in all honesty to achieve what you did -- to create something I cherish. If I can at least do that with this 10-week writing project, I’ll consider it a success.
Man, honestly, this is just my humble opinion, the opinion of someone who pretends to be a writer a never made anything out of it other than having fun but you know, your face changes. Your hair gets greyer, gets thinner. Your interior decor taste grinds new styles, that coffee table you had 10 years ago, now you find it lame, démodé. Your music taste evolves, and so does change what you like reading and writing.
What you write now and looks great, you’ll look back in 2, 3 years time and think, “Da hell was I thinking?”
What you write now is fun, and interesting, and great to read in this very moment of your life. And that’s how it should be.
Just have fun with it. Lots of it. Otherwise there’s no point.
It’s great advice, man. It’s natural to look back on stuff with a differing view -- a sign that your getting older, and getting wiser hopefully. And yeah, what’s the point in writing if your not having fun, enjoying yourself? Take some enjoyment from what you do or don’t do it; no one’s forcing you to write except yourself (I’m both assuming and hoping).
Also, and this is just my opinion, I don’t think someone who writes is pretending to be a writer -- they’re a writer; by definition they’re a writer. Being an author can be seen as a rank, I guess, but that doesn’t change the fact that people who don’t have that rank (yet) aren’t writers. I mean, is a writer someone who gets one book published and calls it quits or is a writer someone who writes continually regardless of if they get published and if so to what quantity?
Like you say, It all comes down to how much you enjoy it; how much value you both derive and place on it. And I think that mentality can probably be broadly applied to a majority of things in life, but it’s probably best not to go down that philosophical rabbit hole and turn this post into a thread on “value placement and displacement”. Another time though maybe...
You know what does mess up my big writing theory tho? Chuck and his work.
I swear, whatever I pick and re-read, novels from 20, 15, 10 years ago, it doesn’t matter, I still love them to bits today. When I re-read them I always spot something new, some quirky clever bits I somehow missed before.
That’s when you enjoy something across decades that you know you’ve found something really special. I mean, that’s also the reason we’re all here every week and every post I suppose 😂.
Wait, do you also re-read your comments after you post them? I always do that too. Hahaha. Cracking myself up.
Anyway nope, you don’t sound like a douche. You sound like someone who’s extremely passionate and motivated and put quite some thought into what he’s doing. And you will always have all my respect for that.
When my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer she asked my three favorite colors. She wanted to crochet an afghan in those colors so I'd remember her after her death. Then, she didn't die. Thirty years later she saw that afghan and winced and said, "Let me make you a better one."
I nicely declined at the time. Now she's been dead for twenty years, and I still nap with that original afghan. Someday you'll appreciate everything as the best you could accomplish at the time. And each is a step or an experiment worth the effort.
My grandma crocheted a queen-size blanket for me when I was 18 and leaving for university. She wanted to use 'cool colours'. She used lime, purple, black and neon orange. She's 93 this year and can no longer crochet. That blanket is the still the best one I have. There's something about afghan blankets that says home.
A few years ago I quit my job and focussed only on writing for 12 months straight. Looked for writing competitions, wrote like a maniac.
I bumped into this big writing competition I really cared about, sat down started writing and don’t know what happened. Planets aligned, a fortunate series of coincidences, don’t know, no idea, but I wrote 5k words in 48h. It was good. I loved it. I laughed so much working on it.
I remember I thought, “What the hell, what’s all that big fuss about writing block and stuff. I can write a book in 2 weeks. Damn, I’m good at this.”
It turned out it never happened again. Never ever managed to wrote such a good stuff in such a short amount of time. The story didn’t get picked up. Although it’s one of those I still cherish today.
What I’m trying to say is that 500 words a day is great pace to have. Keep up the good work Brandan. And good luck with your writing.
Thanks, man. I’m hoping in all honesty to achieve what you did -- to create something I cherish. If I can at least do that with this 10-week writing project, I’ll consider it a success.
Man, honestly, this is just my humble opinion, the opinion of someone who pretends to be a writer a never made anything out of it other than having fun but you know, your face changes. Your hair gets greyer, gets thinner. Your interior decor taste grinds new styles, that coffee table you had 10 years ago, now you find it lame, démodé. Your music taste evolves, and so does change what you like reading and writing.
What you write now and looks great, you’ll look back in 2, 3 years time and think, “Da hell was I thinking?”
What you write now is fun, and interesting, and great to read in this very moment of your life. And that’s how it should be.
Just have fun with it. Lots of it. Otherwise there’s no point.
Again, that’s just me though.
It’s great advice, man. It’s natural to look back on stuff with a differing view -- a sign that your getting older, and getting wiser hopefully. And yeah, what’s the point in writing if your not having fun, enjoying yourself? Take some enjoyment from what you do or don’t do it; no one’s forcing you to write except yourself (I’m both assuming and hoping).
Also, and this is just my opinion, I don’t think someone who writes is pretending to be a writer -- they’re a writer; by definition they’re a writer. Being an author can be seen as a rank, I guess, but that doesn’t change the fact that people who don’t have that rank (yet) aren’t writers. I mean, is a writer someone who gets one book published and calls it quits or is a writer someone who writes continually regardless of if they get published and if so to what quantity?
Like you say, It all comes down to how much you enjoy it; how much value you both derive and place on it. And I think that mentality can probably be broadly applied to a majority of things in life, but it’s probably best not to go down that philosophical rabbit hole and turn this post into a thread on “value placement and displacement”. Another time though maybe...
Ahhaha rabbit holes are my favourite.
You know what does mess up my big writing theory tho? Chuck and his work.
I swear, whatever I pick and re-read, novels from 20, 15, 10 years ago, it doesn’t matter, I still love them to bits today. When I re-read them I always spot something new, some quirky clever bits I somehow missed before.
That’s when you enjoy something across decades that you know you’ve found something really special. I mean, that’s also the reason we’re all here every week and every post I suppose 😂.
Amen to the last paragraph, man. Amen.
Christ. I sound like an enlightened douchebag giving a TED-talk in the second paragraph lol
Wait, do you also re-read your comments after you post them? I always do that too. Hahaha. Cracking myself up.
Anyway nope, you don’t sound like a douche. You sound like someone who’s extremely passionate and motivated and put quite some thought into what he’s doing. And you will always have all my respect for that.
Yeah, I often re-read what I’ve written and then cringe because -- sadomasochism? I dunno lol
Thanks for the last part, dude. I really appreciate that.
Agreed.
When my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer she asked my three favorite colors. She wanted to crochet an afghan in those colors so I'd remember her after her death. Then, she didn't die. Thirty years later she saw that afghan and winced and said, "Let me make you a better one."
I nicely declined at the time. Now she's been dead for twenty years, and I still nap with that original afghan. Someday you'll appreciate everything as the best you could accomplish at the time. And each is a step or an experiment worth the effort.
God, I love being here so much.
My grandma crocheted a queen-size blanket for me when I was 18 and leaving for university. She wanted to use 'cool colours'. She used lime, purple, black and neon orange. She's 93 this year and can no longer crochet. That blanket is the still the best one I have. There's something about afghan blankets that says home.