Should I Really Save Everything I Write?

Not too long ago, I was going through my notebooks from high school and early college years. Each one was filled with partially finished stories, snippets of character sheets, and scenes without a story attached to them. After finding them and briefly contemplating keeping these notebooks, I threw them away - well most of them at least - and I even blogged about it (twice).

It felt freeing. It was part of my new journey with writing and I was proud to take that first step. Recently though, I came across an article by a writing blog I follow called The Write Practice that encouraged its readers to save everything they write. This may not be the best idea if you handwrite like I did for so many years. However, it made me think, should I have saved these old notebooks?

With that in mind, I can't help but think about a story scene that didn't have a home. I had edited this scene out of a short story I had written, and one day, I recalled a DIFFERENT scene I had written YEARS ago. That one didn't have a home either but I loved it and kept it. So, I decided to find this story scene from years ago to join it together with my new lonely story scene. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it. When I didn't see it in my notebooks (at least, the ones I didn't throw away), I realized I probably threw it out.

Should I have kept these notebooks? With my latest experience in mind, I thought for a moment I should have kept them. However, I recall reading online somewhere that the unfinished stories we write are often our attempts at telling a certain KIND of story that didn't work out. Often, we attempt telling it again but in a different way. So, while I have an untethered story scene without a home, the best I can do is keep it in the draft file in my mind for another inspirational moment or maybe I can recreate the scene I threw away.

Should you keep everything you write, just in case? No. I mean, sure, I believe in keeping some things, especially since your own writing can be incredibly inspiring. I think after a while though some stories should be archived, so we avoid becoming packrats and over-obsessing about days of writing past. That in and of itself can be a wormhole to avoid growing and moving on in our own writing.

So if you are hesitant about archiving, deleting or throwing away stories because you feel like you'll need these story scraps, all I can say is likely this story will come to you again. It just may not look the same way it did before.

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3 comments amwriting, Nicole Pyles

5 Lessons in Writing I Learned This Year (My 2018 Reflection)

As we near the end of 2018, I think it's time for a reflection post. After reading Sue's and Renee's posts about writing goals and their accomplishments, I felt a call to contemplate my own.

I haven't exactly accomplished as much as I was hoping this year, but I have done a lot, in huge part due to the accountability group I joined with WOW (for which, I am so grateful). There have been some teaching moments along the way and I thought I would view my accomplishments through that lens and share five important lessons I have learned this year.

1) Let go of writing projects of the past.

This was a huge moment for me that I talked about in a blog post on my own personal blog. I threw away a bunch of old notebooks from over 10 years ago. It happened when I realized that none of these stories would be used at later point. And I knew it. This isn't a moment I will look back on with regret. In fact, it was one of the healthiest moment of my writing life this year. I needed to let go and I didn't need to hang onto old notebooks as some sort of symbol of my dedication to writing stories.

2) Writing is a daily practice.

I don't have a daily word count. If I'm being totally honest, I don't even write everyday (fiction, that is). However, in order for me to write creatively, I need to do that on a daily basis. This year has shown me that. I discovered that lesson when I looked back over some old freelance pieces from years prior.  When I was looking over old content pieces, I realized how much I've grown as a freelance writer. My writing has vastly improved and that has only happened because I've been doing that type of writing (i.e. blogging, web content, etc) almost daily for several years now. I'm certainly not perfect, but I'm better than I have been. That is the same philosophy I need to take with creative writing.

3) Editing and revising is a different beast.

One of the things I tackled this year was my resistance to editing and revising. I made it my personal mission to edit, revise and to look that beast in the eyes. I have remained true to my word and it's been a challenge this year, but I have come a long way. I am finishing off the year with at least two decently edited pieces and some others under my belt that I am ready to tackle.

4) Life happens. Write anyway.

A few months ago I was let go from my day job. It would be easy to not write, but I am remaining close to my fiction stories and keeping with them as much as I can. It would be easy to get distracted (for good reason too), but this year and the last few months have taught me that I need to write no matter what is going on.

5) Keep challenging yourself.

This was the first year I set writing goals for the year and I am already plotting what my goals are for next year. I'd like to think I'll set myself a daily word count, but in all honesty, I need to remain focused on my revising goal. I am hoping this time next year I will have done some submitting and can say a short story has been published.

So, as I bid adieu to 2018, I will be looking ahead with a renewed sense of accomplishment. One story at a time, one word at a time, I am pushing forward. Happy writing everyone!

Follow Nicole and her writing journey on Twitter via BeingTheWriter or visit her blog theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com.

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4 comments amwriting, setting goals, writing goals

Why I Started Writing What I Enjoyed Instead of What I Knew

We all know the advice, "Write what you know." It isn't my favorite piece of advice, although recently I have learned to understand it better. I have learned that it's not just about writing about all those real life moments you have lived through, but it's also about emotions. We've all known sadness, fear, disappointment, love, and so many other emotions that inspire the characters we write and the stories we tell.

But for me lately, even that new level of understanding feels crippling. Whether I try to write what I know or what I feel, lately I just feel stuck. In the midst of an extremely stressful time, I prefer to escape into writing and frankly, writing from those raw places sometimes hurts.

I've started approaching my writing in a completely different way these days. Instead of writing what I know or what I feel, I'm writing what I enjoy.  I'm finally smiling as I write. I'm laughing to myself as I write out the scenes. This has made writing fun again. I feel like I'm a kid playing pretend all over again.

Will this story get published? Who knows. I'm not even thinking about it yet. Honestly, I'm just glad I'm enjoying writing again. Like, really enjoying it.

Have you ever felt stuck in your writing? Maybe you are beginning to hate that novel you are working on, or the article you are trying to piece together, or that short story that can't seem to get an ending. If that sounds like you, put that piece of writing aside. For now, write something you enjoy. You may not figure out what that is yet, but I encourage you to keep looking and trying out new ways to write. Try poetry. Try scriptwriting. Try a memoir. Try something you've never written before. Try something silly or something terrifying. Write what you enjoy. Write what you would want to read.

This approach may not result into a bestselling novel. In fact, it may not be read by anyone but you. Yet, I'm a strong believer that exercising that muscle of enjoying our creative work is just as important as exercising the muscle of discipline that sits us down in the chair. Both go together. Once I've begun to enjoy writing again, maybe I can finally figure out how to apply that age old advice of 'write what you know (or feel)." And who knows? Maybe that story I am enjoying will end up a bestseller after all.

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7 comments amwriting, On Writing, write what you know

Finding writing support on Twitter

by LuAnn Schindler

For those of you who are Twitter junkies, and for those writers who think social networking distracts from your work, take note: you can learn and get your creative groove on at Twitter.

I've been checking out the #amwriting hashtag lately. And I'm inspired. Writers talk about what they're working on and they encourage one another to set and reach goals. Twitterers from around the world discuss their work. You see people struggling to fine-tune an idea, phrase, or word. But you also see success stories. Just this morning, people were talking about the revision process, research, and inspiration.

Check it out.

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4 comments amwriting, LuAnn Schindler, twitter, writers on Twitter