I resonated with 99% of your post, and agreed the most with your plan of taking a long as you wanted to fully enjoy the process. It's hard not to give into the fallacies that the internet shouts at us, but stay true to yourself, your work and your process. (We need to remind each other of this in the future on our dark days)
Remember, as you pointed out, the following are lies we can ignore...
"* You need to make money now, not spend a year researching before ever even starting a novel! You have to pump out stories consistently and scattershot them out to infinite magazines religiously or your career will never get anywhere!
* Researching or planning for more than a few months at most is a waste of time and you’re just procrastinating!
* Real writers sit their butt in chairs and spit out words every day. That’s writing. Anything else is what amateurs do. Word count is all.
* You can write a story in a week! 50 in a year! You can write a novel in 30 days! In six months! In a year! Rapid release! DO THE THING! If you keep churning them out, at least one of them has to be somewhat good! Perfection is enemy of done!!"
Loved this ! I'm full of admiration for your courageous sharing of the fears and hopes that swirl and cycle through you. I'm inspired by your hunger to learn and the eagerness with which you want to take what you've learned to enchant, and to weave stories.
Doubt Sharks ! So that's what they are. How vivid, how sanguinary, how true. "Stop biting !"
Of course they can't help it, they're parts of ourselves. So I guess we've got to figure out how to face them, distract them ( it's called chumming ), spear them, or surf on them.
I Wonder if I can transform mine into morays, koi, or fighting fish ?
"I want to explore and enjoy the process so thoroughly that I am changed by it when I am finally done."
I love this. And also, naming the reality that the Capitalist ideas of productivity are a real death knell for creativity and quality. I don't want to make products, I want to make life-changing, transformative, contemplative, deeply meaningful works of art.
I always love hearing your thoughts and process. I can relate, for sure, though I think I'm less of a researcher/planner (I should probably be *more* of that)!
"Doubt sharks" 😆 100x yes, haha. Pesky things.
I really enjoyed listening to the Masterclass from N K Jemisin on worldbuilding and research. The lengths she goes to are really inspiring.
If you can get away with not being a planner, you should!! Some days I very much wish I was less of one. I honestly have hope I'll finally understand storytelling on a deep enough level that planning is easy and minimal. (I'll still research, tho! 🤓)
So pesky!
Ah yes, that was an excellent Masterclass! I feel like a day with her would get me all straightened out--she's amazing.
"my creative process archetype is CHAOTIC RESEARCH FIEND"
ME TOO
I figure that everyone needs an audience, including and especially people who write wonderful weird books on niche topics, and we are here for them. 😉
I resonated with 99% of your post, and agreed the most with your plan of taking a long as you wanted to fully enjoy the process. It's hard not to give into the fallacies that the internet shouts at us, but stay true to yourself, your work and your process. (We need to remind each other of this in the future on our dark days)
Remember, as you pointed out, the following are lies we can ignore...
"* You need to make money now, not spend a year researching before ever even starting a novel! You have to pump out stories consistently and scattershot them out to infinite magazines religiously or your career will never get anywhere!
* Researching or planning for more than a few months at most is a waste of time and you’re just procrastinating!
* Real writers sit their butt in chairs and spit out words every day. That’s writing. Anything else is what amateurs do. Word count is all.
* You can write a story in a week! 50 in a year! You can write a novel in 30 days! In six months! In a year! Rapid release! DO THE THING! If you keep churning them out, at least one of them has to be somewhat good! Perfection is enemy of done!!"
Not everyone needs to be on the same path! I just wish more people would remember that. Like, ALL THE TIME I wish they would remember that. 😊
Loved this ! I'm full of admiration for your courageous sharing of the fears and hopes that swirl and cycle through you. I'm inspired by your hunger to learn and the eagerness with which you want to take what you've learned to enchant, and to weave stories.
Doubt Sharks ! So that's what they are. How vivid, how sanguinary, how true. "Stop biting !"
Of course they can't help it, they're parts of ourselves. So I guess we've got to figure out how to face them, distract them ( it's called chumming ), spear them, or surf on them.
I Wonder if I can transform mine into morays, koi, or fighting fish ?
Thank you so much Marcus!!
I absolutely love the idea of turning our mind sharks into koi!! Nice, calm, gentle koi. Maybe if we give them treats?
"I want to explore and enjoy the process so thoroughly that I am changed by it when I am finally done."
I love this. And also, naming the reality that the Capitalist ideas of productivity are a real death knell for creativity and quality. I don't want to make products, I want to make life-changing, transformative, contemplative, deeply meaningful works of art.
"I don't want to make products, I want to make life-changing, transformative, contemplative, deeply meaningful works of art."
YESSSSSSS!!!!!
I always love hearing your thoughts and process. I can relate, for sure, though I think I'm less of a researcher/planner (I should probably be *more* of that)!
"Doubt sharks" 😆 100x yes, haha. Pesky things.
I really enjoyed listening to the Masterclass from N K Jemisin on worldbuilding and research. The lengths she goes to are really inspiring.
Good luck with everything 🤗
If you can get away with not being a planner, you should!! Some days I very much wish I was less of one. I honestly have hope I'll finally understand storytelling on a deep enough level that planning is easy and minimal. (I'll still research, tho! 🤓)
So pesky!
Ah yes, that was an excellent Masterclass! I feel like a day with her would get me all straightened out--she's amazing.
Thank you!!! And to you 😊