Hello all!
Today's post is a little something different. I want to talk about writing. This may sound a little odd, but I would like to talk about my process for writing and just some other general writing principles that I want to share. Now, for those who don't know, I started writing stories in 8th grade. Although I had been writing short answers, sentences, long answers, short stories, and more for school, I had actually never written a paper until after the point where I started writing stories. When I started learning how to write a research paper in 5th grade, I was taught how to write a college level essay. I was taught things about writing papers that most high school graduates struggle to do. Although I learned and mastered the skills, I never actually wrote the papers. My parents decided that as much as it was important for me to know how to write a paper, it was more important for me to master the skills and practice them for a number of years before writing an actual paper. Now, why does this matter? Well, prior to writing the start of my first novel, I had never written anything of real length or substance before. The reason that matters is because this was something I WAS NOT GOOD AT. I had little to no length writing skills. I never wrote creatively and I would never do more sentence-writing in classes unless needed. My point is, I was not a skilled writing prodigy at the age of 10 who could write prolifically at any given moment. As a matter of fact, I hated English class until I was in 11th grade. I didn't know what I was doing when I graduated until the spring of my senior year. In other words, I was not a kid that seemed like someone to become a writer. I'm sure my mother would tell you that repeatedly. In spite of all of this, I was an avid thinker and reader. I never objected to a book unless it was in favor of making music or going outside. I would imagine scenarios in my head that could be anywhere from movie spin offs to a long-running imaginative story for where my life would be if I were in a movie, Narnia, etc. My brain was a story. Much like with reading, I could teleport myself to a whole new life with a switch of thought. Still, I was plenty happy to keep my thoughts in my head. It wasn't until one of my younger brothers had a short story assignment that all of that changed for me. *Fair warning, I love this story and tell it way too much because, well, it changed my life.* I was finishing my assignments in my room in the basement. My brother was in fourth grade and had a short story assignment. I finished my assignments and headed upstairs to see if there was a chance my mom would let me go biking. As I got upstairs, I realized my brother was not doing well when he shouted, "I don't have any ideas. I can't write a story." Determined to help, I sat down and tried to help my mom encourage him to think of something. As I told him he could write about anything, I disclosed a story that had been stuck in my brain for the better part of the previous month. Even after that, he still was not convinced that he could write the story. So, I made him a deal; if he could write the short story, I would write a novel about my topic. Well, he loved the idea so much that we sat down that night and started writing. Sitting under my loft bed at the desk, a lamp glowing a yellow light, we got to work. If I remember correctly, his story was about a kiwi bird. But for me, well that was the day Profugorum was born. Honestly, I only worked on it for about a month until I started writing less and less consistently. The process took four years, and it took the first two and a half of those years to even come up with the story's title. I changed things over and over, the story went from loose-leaf paper to being typed up on my parent's computer. A lot of effort and heartache went into the story. That story changed me, developed my writing style, and made me the person I am today. They say everything happens for a reason, and I firmly believe that. Without a tiny moment in my history, I wouldn't be me. Lots of things had to happen for us to be the people we are today, many things had to line up for us to be where we are in this moment. The world is a wonderful place and God gives us these talents and opportunities to use them. For anyone who wants to write or has a skill they don't think they are good enough at, I am not the greatest writer ever. I am not the most famous poet. Most of my writing is unread. However, I still write. You are still reading this right now, and hopefully, you will realize that this can be you too. You may never be the best at something, but if you give up on a tiny moment, if you give up hope, you will never know. I am not an amazing writer, but I am good. I love what I do and I never would have been here without the humble beginning I came from. I was not groomed for this job and all odds are against me. But, I am here. You're here too. Don't give up on that. -GN P.S. Next in the series: Writing style
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Oh my dear, few, important followers;
I am so excited to share this with you, like more excited then sharing anything I have in the recent past. This is the start of a new story that I have been working so hard on. I have poured my soul into this piece, I am so excited to share the start of my very new book series Just Your Typical Super Spy! -GN You guys!
I have had this forever and I don't know what has kept me from posting this, but I have a new post about Hialee's sisters! It is a the character description like the ones that I have posted in the past. Please check it out and let me know what you think. Happy Friday! -GN |
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