Writing

[triskellian]

I'm currently toying with the idea of writing fiction. It's something I haven't done for years, and I'm partly put off because it's like playing in someone else's workplace (although I try to remind myself that lots of people play in my workplace, and it doesn't bother me ;-), and I'm partly put off because I don't know if I'm any good at it, and may be too self-conscious to ask anyone to tell me, least of all the people most qualified to comment. I'm well aware that it would be mad to seek out strangers to offer something I can get from people all around me.

I'm sitting here thinking about this, and someone else mentions to me that they - also unusually - are playing with some fiction ideas. And I give them a little lecture about the value of writing for pleasure, that it's a useful thing to do, that it's good mental exercise and is good for general writing skills, as used in writing non-fiction (which I do all the time, for fun and for study and for work) and that they should go ahead and write.

And now, reflecting, I'm thinking I should take my own advice.

Comments

[chrestomancy.livejournal.com]

Join Writers Of Wrongs!

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

Writing is good - I keep coming up with really great ideas, and then not quite disciplining myself to getting them down on paper.

Mutual support pact?

[triskellian]

By contrast, I'm less inundated with ideas, but more disciplined than you ;-)

I give you permission to bully me into writing things, and can do the same for you, if that counts as a mutual support pact?

[triskellian]

Is that just a cute phrase, or does it actually refer to something I don't know about?

[nevecat.livejournal.com]

Make sure you always carry a notepad & pen, then you have no excuse for not writing things down :)

I currently seem to carry too much paper though, given I have a ringbound notepad for fiction so I can tear bits out without feeling guilty, a hardback notepad for philosophy/dream-diary/stuff, and a big work diary for keeping appointments!

[triskellian]

Ah. Dawn's just emailed me an explanation.

[toxicbunny.livejournal.com]

You can bully me too! I'm the same as verlaine but with fewer ideas ;>

Would be very interested to see what you come up with. Can I be on your list of beta-readers?

[triskellian]

Sure, if you promise to be gentle with me ;-)

All I need now is an idea I like enough to write, and the time to do it in. How hard can it be?

Hey, verlaine, how 'bout you throw loads of ideas at us, we write them, and then you're so disgusted by how we've misunderstood your babies that you have to write them yourself? And in the process those of us lacking ideas are inspired by your creative genius and come up with ideas of our own...

Or something ;-)