Prompting

That’s easy for you to say Mr. King. It’s not like I don’t get up and go to work. I definitely do-but some days, the words don’t come. Some days there is no inspiration. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he meant: even if your writing sucks that day-maybe the inspiration you were hoping against hope to strike you on the head like lightening fire hasn’t happened… but you write.

Ok.

As you know, I’m working on a novel. I’ve been working on it for nearly 20 years. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to just finish the damn thing, but it has. That’s the thing about writing. And writers. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, the story is inside me and it will come out. It has to.

You also know that currently I’m unemployed. I freelance here and there-not making much, but it’s something. I do want a career as a writer, but for that to happen, I. Have. To. Write.

Not that I don’t write-I’m writing right now! It’s just that I need to figure out how to write better and write more… I need to be seen, or heard-both, which is where my nascent podcast series comes in. I have a tendency, especially when things get moving-like, I’m on a roll creatively, I’ve got ideas, plot-twists, fierce characters, an amazing arch-like, I feel like I can do this thing-finally finish it, but I get distracted. I pull away. I really wonder what that’s about. Why can’t I just finish my book?

I think I’m too close to it, but we’ll explore that some other time.

Back to that in a sec, I’m posting today because I promised myself, as a writer, that I had to/have to blog at least once a week. Even if I have no idea what I want to write about.

I could have gone political, which when the mood is right, I will do, but I’m trying to leave that to the podcast. (Please listen!🥺) At the end of the day, and I hope I don’t sound desperate here but then again, maybe I am-I want to build a following. I hate saying that, as a Christian, there’s something sacrilegious about it…and when/if I reach over 1K followers, what happens? Does it mean I’ve arrived as a writer? I can’t lie, it’s nice to be followed and it does motivate me to give my followers, what they are looking for, which I’m still trying to figure out.

I digress. My goal, and the purpose of today’s post, and if the “following” is legit, is to garner some writing advice. I’m crying out for an intervention, if you will. Should I be working on my novel “654” right now, instead of blogging? Am I wasting precious writing time?

I’ll answer that.

Of course not! Sorry. I’m still open to suggestions/advice/flogging (writers only-for obvious reasons). I’m of the opinion that any time spent writing time is precious. I could be wrong, but you’ll let me know if I am.

Prior to this post I did a writing exercise that’s helping develop my characters, plot and the story. Actually, I’d like to take a moment here to give a shout out to Reedsy. I highly recommend their YouTube channel for aspiring writers-or any writer who needs a little encouragement or motivation, as I often do to just…explore, brainstorm, get excited about possibilities and opportunities. Actually this blog post wouldn’t have existed if I didn’t participate in the exercise. I find that the more I write, whatever I write, I’m one step closer to finishing my story, so that I can write another one. And another one. And another one. I have so many stories to tell. I just waste time…if I’m not writing.

Yeah. I know every writer says this-writing is fulfilling- it does makes me happy. It’s the only freedom I have and that’s saying a lot, I know. It’s the only thing I want to do with my life–but I want my writing to matter. I don’t want my legacy to be random musings of a pseudo writing life, where all I’ve done is write a very public, personal journal.

Know what I mean?

That being said, my intent is that future posts will be devoted to strengthening my creative muscle. Let’s say I’m in training. The workouts are short stories based on writing prompts, which I’ll post at least once a week. I hope (and I’m asking for your help with this too) that week by week my creativity, my imagination, my writing will improve, and that it will lead me to all kinds of strange places, meeting imperfectly perfect characters whose stories must, and can only be told by me.