Just write!

[spark]

I learned something about my writing process this weekend. 

I updated my story last week, which was everything I've drafted so far in my story.  The only thing I had was that it is his birthday, and I had an idea what the party could be like.  I  sensed that I needed to do something on paper this weekend to keep the story alive in my head.  If I go more than a few weeks without at least drafting anything, I'm going to lose  Eddie's. This happens all the time, and I have a ton of words sitting in limbo because I've lost the voice.

I'm also a notorious 😁 . Why do something today that you can put off until tomorrow has been my unofficial motto since Kindergarten.  This whole week, I've been telling myself that I need to draft at least something before the end of the weekend.  I'm not going to be home tomorrow, so it needed to be today.  The problem was: I'm tired when I get home from work, and it takes a lot of mental energy to create a story.  For me, spreadsheeting is a mindless activity that I use to relax.  I create all kinds of spreadsheets, and most of it is just mindless number crunching.  So, why do something today that I can put off until tomorrow?

I finally got to the point where I just needed to sit down and write something.  Before I started, I thought "This won't a long update."  Right away, as soon as I sat at the keyboard, things started coming to me.  In the end, for something that I thought would be a short update, it ended up at 4.3k.   It might be longer once I go through the editing process.

Sometimes, the best idea to break through a block is to sit with the story and see what comes to you.

[Electrically]

That’s nice! Sometimes you just need a little momentum, then things just roll along. 

[spark]

1 hour ago, Electrically said:

That’s nice! Sometimes you just need a little momentum, then things just roll along. 

It was strange.  I sat down, and my fingers started tapping keys.  I had to stop myself last night because I was about 1/2 through and I ended up writing a lot more this afternoon.  I was so enthused that I decided to go to a lost story- but i think I've lost the plot with that one😀

Writing is fun, but it can be mentally exhausting.

[WBDaddy]

When I was at my peak, so very long ago, it was about discipline.  Write every day.  Sit there for at least an hour in front of whatever array of unfinished stories you have in your queue.  Scan them all until you find something that sparks you.  Or just sit there with a blank page, if you don't have a queue.  Write something.  Even if you look at it an hour later and say, "this is crap," and delete it, do it anyway.  Because you give yourself permission to fail, which unlocks your creativity and frees you from your self-doubt.  And that is the most powerful boost to your creativity you can possibly give yourself.  Writing fearlessly.  

[Electrically]

Writing is definitely something you need to consistently focus on, and it’s definitely mentally exhausting. That’s one of my biggest problems, I don’t consistently work on things, and usually when I do it’s at the end of the day so I’m already tired. 
Someone told me something that makes a lot of sense to me. 
“You only have the ability to make so many decisions in one day” 

Writing is constantly making decisions, So if I use up all my decisions before even starting to try to write, it probably will make for some really crappy writing. 
I have to try to change my schedule some to allow some time to write before my mind is exhausted, and come up with a consistent schedule. 

Curious though WBDaddy, why did you quit? 
 

Best E

[WBDaddy]

2 hours ago, Electrically said:

Curious though WBDaddy, why did you quit? 

Had to go back to work full-time and, much like you, was too mentally spent to write at the end of the day.  Tried to pick it back up in the years since, but I think I've only completed one story in that time frame. 

[Electrically]

On 4/28/2025 at 9:10 AM, WBDaddy said:

Had to go back to work full-time and, much like you, was too mentally spent to write at the end of the day.  Tried to pick it back up in the years since, but I think I've only completed one story in that time frame. 

Well… I was thinking of trying to encourage you, to find time to do something you like to do, and hopefully you will find some energy and Etc. 

But.

 Have read some of your stuff, and you are pretty good. So I would think it would be extremely frustrating if you felt rushed or unsatisfied with new stories. 
and that may not be a enjoyable hobby.

SO

sometimes you have to do what you have to do. And it might not be ideal but hopefully someday things will change.
Things seem to do that.

Best E

[spark]

On 4/27/2025 at 7:25 PM, WBDaddy said:

When I was at my peak, so very long ago, it was about discipline.  Write every day.  Sit there for at least an hour in front of whatever array of unfinished stories you have in your queue.  Scan them all until you find something that sparks you.  Or just sit there with a blank page, if you don't have a queue.  Write something.  Even if you look at it an hour later and say, "this is crap," and delete it, do it anyway.  Because you give yourself permission to fail, which unlocks your creativity and frees you from your self-doubt.  And that is the most powerful boost to your creativity you can possibly give yourself.  Writing fearlessly.  

Starting is the hardest part for me.  Once I start, I usually can write freely.  Especially if I've a lot of the ideas already in my head

Work makes writing very hard.  I generally need to be fresh to draft anything, and I'm in a low cycle during the afternoon.  I usually bounce back at 8, or 9, but I don't want to sidetracked with a long project that late at night.