Saturday, July 23, 2011

What My Writing Has Taught Me About Me (So Far)

A few things my current novel has taught me about myself.
In no particular order:

  • I work best with a one page outline that I can add/change as I go. I guess I am an outliner/pantser hybrid.
  • I promised myself I would not edit as I go so I could actually finish writing the draft. This also causes extreme stress and anxiety.
  • I think my writing is better if I don't edit as I go.
  • I am a very impatient person, and this novel has forced taught me to be patient.
  • No one will ever be as hard on me as I am on myself (I'm almost positive this is true for every writer).
  • I cannot edit with a red pen; I must use green.
  • My green pen has its own hashtag on Twitter #greenpenofcarnage
  • #1k1hr on Twitter is my best friend and I've made awesome friends there.
  • My husband is the best ever because he loves me no matter how neurotic I am, or how many times we eat cereal for dinner because I'm too busy writing.
  • It is possible to work 10 hour days and then come home to write.
  • Writing is the one thing I can do with sarcoidosis.
  • Papa Johns knows our order by heart.
  • My animals love when I write because they get extra snuggle time with me on the couch.
  • I have amazing support from friends, family and the writing community.
  • Writing is extremely difficult and sometimes I want to cry because I'm so stressed out and have no idea how I will accomplish everything I want to, but despite all that, I am in love with writing and wouldn't change anything for the world.
  • There is nothing I would rather do than write (even when it's driving me nuts).
Keep in mind these are just a few things. This list could go on and on and I'm sure I will edit it to add more. What about you? What is something your writing has taught you about yourself?

8 comments:

  1. What a great list! I could have written it myself. Except for the green...I use yellow.

    http://www.doreenmcgettigan.com

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  2. I LOVE, absolutely love your list, Courtney. Thanks for sharing! #greenpenofcarnage....I'll never look at green ink the same again;) *hugs*

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  3. Pencil for me.
    What writing has taught me about myself is that my heart's desire is to be perfect and no matter how hard I try or how much I fix/improve things, there will always be something that could have been done just a little bit better. I keep waiting to read my story and just be happy with it.
    It's also taught me to accept that I'm not perfect and that's okay.
    I'm learning to take criticism and turn it into advice whether it was intended to be used that way or not.
    My writing has also taught my kids that it's okay to dream and to work hard to achieve your dreams.

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  4. I love your new blog design! It looks great.
    I can't help revising as I write. Each day I revise what I wrote the day before and then start writing more after that. It's a good warm-up each day.
    I wish I could get my husband to eat cereal for dinner when I'm too busy to cook! I don't see if happening though.

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  5. Love your list, especially the green pen thing. I've learned that I tend to overwrite, and that it's good for me to plow through a draft without too much tight editing. Nano taught me that.

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  6. Wonderful list! We feel you on all of them -- especially learning patience through writing. LOL @ the green pen of "carnage."

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  7. Great list!

    Writing taught me that being a storyteller was not a character flaw.

    I use both red and blue - red for mistakes/typos and blue for WOW and Keepits - the page more often then not comes out purple, but it reminds me of all the good as well as bad in my drafts. Keeps me motivated as blue gradually dominates!!

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  8. Thank you all for sharing what your writing has taught you (so far).

    I think one thing I love most about writing is that different methods work for different people. There is no wrong or right way; everyone has to learn what works best for them.

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