***If you have a short attention span and you are looking for the point behind this post, it’s down at the bottom (no judgement).***

For the last few weeks, I’ve been slacking a little on my creative writing tasks and burying myself in school work (aka: TOO MUCH READING FOR MY TINY BRAIN). It’s been hard to find times to slip away from that and into stuff that I actually want to read or write. This week however, after wrapping up the first part of a completely time-consuming pitch for my Directing class (I’M DIRECTING A SCENE FROM ARSENIC AND OLD LACE AND AM UTTERLY EXCITED), I sat down at my desk, lit my honeysuckle candle and as usual, began at list six different stories with entirely different characters before settling into one that felt comfortable and real. 

Starting this week, instead of one short story I began a story that I’m going to continue for the next couple of weeks or however long I’d like, frankly. I’m really excited about this because:

1). I haven’t written an extended story in quite some time and I’ve missed developing characters and relationships that you don’t come across in a lot of short stories (or at least to the length that I’ve been writing them).

2). I like these characters and the feel of this story so far, so maybe this one will come out how I want it. That’s debatable. 

3). Instead of having to think of an entirely new subject (which is generally the bane of my writer’s block) I get to build upon previous events and extend the relationship of the reader to the characters, which is pretty similar to point #1. 

I want to get attached to characters again. I think this story has the potential for that. I’ve been reading a lot of short stories in those times that I have a moment or two and figuring out writing styles that I like and styles that inspire me. Inspiration hasn’t been lacking in my department, it’s just the time that it takes to sit and write something hasn’t necessarily been as available. I’m looking forward to Spring Break next week and hope to do as much reading and story writing as I possibly can, and this weather has put my spirits high. I’ve tried to get in the habit of cranking out first drafts no matter how much I’m afraid they are going to suck, and that’s been the biggest thing that I’ve realized recently: Make yourself write something or it’s never going to happen. I’m preaching to myself just as much as anyone else. 

I am not a published author, or literary critic, or a brilliant editor, sometimes I just like to share the things that plague a 20 year old acting school student extraordinaire/hobby writer.

I’ve done this before and no one responded, but that’s alright! I’m persistent! If you ever need any sort of writing advice, or a good book/story suggestion or want to tell someone about the awful haircut you just got, holla at me. I won’t slide you down because I don’t roll like that. 

***In the meantime, here’s the meat of this post: Check out the beginning of my continued story at http://www.groundfloormag.com/literature and the rest of my crazy talented (not to mention hilarious) friends writing for The Ground Floor.*** 

I bid you all adieu for now!

(via sweethomestyle)