Update
When you are writing consistently everyday. There are days it feels like you are not moving forward. It looks like it’s better not to write. I am experiencing those days.
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This what progress looks like |
As regards submitting for feedback I will timeblock time for that else I will never do it.
Writing Goals,Systems and Projects
I used to think of goals and talked about them as a young writer.
There is nothing wrong with that
Year after year I set my new year’s resolution . It felt like those goals were the ideal life and projects that existed only in theory but not in real life.
When the year came to an end. I suddenly remember my goals. Sometimes I feel like I was made to forget the goals. And then I set the goals this time certain that I will work on the goals.
There is nothing wrong with that
Every thing good needs life to grow and come forth. The time was the life. All the moment while I said it was important. What I did contradicted what I said.
Every wannabe writer wishes to be a writer. Very few write. Of those few that write very very few write long enough to become better.
Here’s is how it connects.
The connecting dots for everything is the time. Once that is in place we can move forward.
When we have that time we need to pick a project to work on . This project helps us build momentum and test our skills.while we improve.
A New Approach
Instead of setting result oriented goals that were not in my control. I changed to setting goals that are process based and input oriented.
It could be write a short story every week for the next three months. After the end of three months I will have twelve short stories which is the average number of stories in a short story collection.
Writing and editing the story is in my control. Being published by a literary magazine not completely in my control.
Set a time for writing.
If you are just starting, start with a small amount of minimum time you can show up for no matter what comes up.
Don’t get trapped in the work.
You are the work. You are working on yourself. The goal is to become better from working on the work. To find yourself.
Project Examples
Here are some quotes from famous writers recommending major projects for beginners:
1. Ernest Hemingway:
“All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.”
Recommendation: Start with short, honest vignettes or personal anecdotes to get in the habit of writing. This is why I recommend you write microfiction and fifty word stories.
2. Stephen King:
“If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write.”
Recommendation: Read widely and voraciously to gain inspiration and understanding of different writing styles.
3. Maya Angelou:
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
Recommendation: Begin by writing about your own experiences and emotions to tap into your unique voice. Keep a journal and move on to flash nonfiction.
4. Neil Gaiman:
“Start telling the stories that only you can tell because there’ll always be better writers than you and there’ll always be smarter writers than you. There will always be people who are much better at doing this or doing that — but you are the only you.”
Recommendation: Embrace your uniqueness and write stories that reflect your perspective and ideas.
5. Anne Lamott:
“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.”
Recommendation: Don’t be afraid of making mistakes; start writing even if it feels rough at first. For me this was the goal for the Quinthirty writing challenge.
6. Ray Bradbury:
“Write a short story every week. It’s not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row.”
Recommendation: Commit to writing regularly and use short stories as a medium to experiment and improve.
7. J.K. Rowling:
“The wonderful thing about writing is that there is always a blank page waiting. The terrifying thing about writing is that there is always a blank page waiting.”
Recommendation: Embrace the excitement and challenge of facing an empty page, knowing that it holds infinite possibilities.
This is more important if you are just getting started you need to overcome the fear of the blank page.
Writing Prompts
This week’s writing prompts are about Water.
1. Microfiction : In three hundred words or fewer, tell a microfiction story about a teardrop that changed the course of a war.
2. Flash Nonfiction : Reflect on a personal experience with water .
3. Personal Essay : Write a personal essay exploring your deep connection with a significant body of water and how it has shaped your perspective on life and environmental stewardship.
4. Poetry : Compose a poem using water as a metaphor for resilience and strength, depicting how it overcomes obstacles and adapts to any environment.
5. Metaphorical : Create a piece of writing that compares water quality to the clarity of one’s thoughts and emotions, exploring the process of purification and self-discovery.
6. Literary : In the style of magical realism, craft a literary piece where a character discovers a mysterious well with the ability to reveal the truth about people’s intentions through its water.
7. Genre-Specific : Write a romance story set on a picturesque tropical island, where the crystal-clear waters become a symbol of the characters’ deep love and understanding for each other.
8. Sentence Starters : “The rain whispered secrets to the earth, revealing…” or “She dipped her hand into the pond, and the water responded by…”
9. Word prompts : Use the following words in a story or poem: “torrent,” “quench,” “glisten,” and “purity.”
Use the prompts as a starting point to get started. Follow your imagination.
Quote of the week
“The struggle of writing is fraught with moments of doubt and self-criticism, but it is also the path to self-discovery and creative growth.” – John Steinbeck
Please suggest a section you would love to see in the newsletter.
Until next week keep writing.