Hello there, bookworms! Holy cow, it’s been a bit since I’ve been able to check in the way I wanted. I almost never go this long without a post unless I’m on vacation, but there’s been a lot going on with life lately. I just need more hours in the day.
If I’m being completely honest, I have a lot of reading to do. A few people have requested that I check out their works and provide edits and reviews for their projects, and with a few of them having tight deadlines, I’m just trying to balance my time as best I can. I have an audible re-read going, an ARC I’m reading on Kindle, another ARC sitting on my shelf, my book club pick, and more. Throw in a few personal things like long work days, my own personal writing projects, seeing friends, random appointments and dealing with some family stuff and.. well.. I’m surprised I’m even sleeping these days (seriously.. the other night I didn’t go to sleep until 3am and I woke up at 7 for work.. so.. send help!).
As an aspiring author (whether or not I’ll wind up publishing anything is yet to be seen.. but I digress), I’ve seen other writers discussing On Writing A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King as their must-read, go-to, bible, essential, inspiration, guide, etc. In general, I haven’t read much of King’s work (it freaks me out how quickly he churns out big, fat novels and I’m skeptical that they’re all fantastic/must-reads), but since he’s had such a successful career, and every writer I follow on social media has posted about this manual at some point, I had to give it a chance. I bought it months ago, and when I kept getting distracted by other books and neglecting my own writing, I decided to purchase the audible version as well.
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999 — and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it — fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.
I’ll put it this way, listening to Audible and feeling like Stephen King was speaking directly to me felt like the kick in the butt I needed to get going and stop neglecting my work. I have every excuse in the book to procrastinate on my writing. How does not writing help when one of your life goals is to say you’ve written a book? The verdict is still out on that one because I don’t have an answer.
Here’s what I do know. I’ve been trying to read since before I knew how to read. I’ve been carrying a journal or notebook around and writing on-and-off since middle school. I have two degrees in English Lit. Im part of a Literature Honor Society (ΣΤΔ). I’m a copywriter & blogger by trade. However, I’ve never finished a story, novella, novel, or plot.
When I finally finished my time with this behemoth of a guide just a few days ago, I cried. I cried at a writing manual. Even days later, I’m somehow simultaneously inspired to kick ass at the process of producing a complete, finished work but also absolutely convinced and discouraged that my words are utter garbage.
What I’m trying to do is take it all in stride. I may not be re-arranging my work space to move my desk into a corner It’s against a wall with a window.. does that count?), but I’m certainly making more of an effort to shut down outside distractions and noise to write every day. Whether I have writer’s block or not, I’m hell-bent on getting any words I can down. I’m carrying my journal with me every single day and keeping it within reach to jot down notes, and I’m trying to focus on ideas and directions to take my plot. One thing King mentioned was a first draft taking about 3 months start-to-finish. I’m almost at the 2 year mark and I’m not sure if there’s an end in sight yet, but I’m trying to enjoy the learning process that comes with writing, developing a habit and a style, and honing your craft. As a creative, there’s no such thing as being perfect, and we’re always open to critique and criticism (we’re our own worst critics), but practice makes perfect, right?
I plan to spend the month of April doing nothing but writing. Whether I’m at the office, working on the blog, or making headway in my personal endeavors, I’m using this awesome guide to do what I can to achieve some long-awaited goals. If I could read this book all over again for the first time, I would. I’ll definitely be keeping it close by as I continue to work and give it a re-read.
For a guide to how to write, I never expected insight to such a personal journey, and now, I hope I shared a bit of my own with all of you. If you’re a writer, an aspiring author, or always wanted to write but you’ve been too scared to start, there’s no time like the present. It’s never too late. Join me for Camp NaNoWriMo and put your ideas to work!
Also, if anyone has any other suggestions for writing guides that really inspired you or changed your life and writing career, drop them in the comments because I’d love to read more!
