The Making of a Writer

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I did. I really did. But I’ve just got too many ideas for things I want to write. A couple of solid ideas for articles, two or three novels (mysteries, no less) just waiting to get started,… I can’t just close the door on those things. I can’t get them out of my mind, and they’re actually becoming something of a distraction.

If some part of your conciousness, or even unconciousness, just keeps knawing at you to do something, sometimes it’s best to listen and do it. I think that’s the case here.

So I’m going to start writing, and I’ll use this blog to keep folks posted on how it goes and what I learn in the process. (And look for a new look for the blog sometime in the near future, too!)

Wish me luck!

I have several ideas for things to write which can come together eventually. I also have a number of ideas for things to blog which can come together more quickly. So I think…I think…I think I’m going to have to put the Making of a Writer on standby for a bit, and shift my attention to the Making of a Blogger. Between the blogs (yes, plural; I know, I know) I’m developing and my actual job, not to mention family, home, life…and don’t forget necessary downtime… Well, there are only so many hours in a day. Something has to give.

This is it.

Look here for the announcement of the official launch of MakingOfABlogger.com. (You could go look now, but what’s there currently is less than exciting, I assure you.)

To those of you who have been following me here, I appreciate your support and I hope this isn’t disappointing for you. But a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do, and I’ll make more immediate progress, and find more immediate gratification, by following this path.

Take care.

I was about to write whine some more about how hard it is to get writing done because I have so many irons in the fire. And I keep adding more.

But that’s just making excuses.

I just have to decide what’s important I guess.

It’s a common question for writers: “Where do you get your ideas?” I don’t get it. I think getting ideas for things to write about is easy. So far I’ve got ideas for a themed collection of short stories, a few short story standalones, a series of novels (yes, a series!), a few magazine articles, and 2 or 3 nonfiction books (one of which I got while doing some prelimenary research for another). And I keep coming up with more.

I came up with a couple yesterday while I was mowing the grass.

And what do I do with these ideas? I dutifully jot them down in my notebook until I can sketch out a rough outline or synopsis, and then…and then…

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But I suppose everything worth doing is, hm? My two big challenges right now are finding time and finding heart.

Finding time

I knew this would be a tough one, and it is. What with the work, the kids, and all that, finding time to just write is tough. But not impossible, and others have done it.

It’s meaning making some choices, adjusting sleep times, and other changes. But it’s important, so I’ll do it. Having a supportive wife helps!

Finding heart

Sitting down to that screen and filling it up with characters is tough. Especially when the characters are coming together to make crap. See, that’s that internal editor all the writing self-help books I’ve distracted myself with over the years tell me I need to ignore. So I try that, and keep plugging along. I hope the just-write-edit-later part gets easier. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist anyway, so it’s really tough to put something down and, knowing it needs fixing, not try to fix it right away.

Just gotta remember that train: I think I can! I think I can!