I was reading Kristen Lamb’s blog about writing (and this post in particular) and realised that to a certain extent I have already become a writer by creating this blog. The thought suprised me as I hadn’t particularly thought about the creative aspect of my blog before – I just saw it as an outlet.
Once I started to think about it I saw that I do enjoy word-crafting (more evident in some posts than others) and that the process of writing is a large part of the pleasure of being a blog owner.
I read a few pages from her blog and started to think about the possibility of being a writer myself. Not a “proper writer” but a part-time writer of this, that and the other. They say everyone has a novel in them and I do have at least two plots up my sleeve but whether I would ever go to the trouble of developing them into anything is another matter. Would I be able to enjoy writing a novel or would I just turn it into another chore and resent the time it took from other things?
The thought had crossed my mind to participate in National Novel Writing Month but I know that the pressure to churn it out around my other responsibilities (e.g. work!) would be very stressful for me and I’m pretty sure my RSI wouldn’t stand up to it.
So perhaps that approach isn’t the one for me but that doesn’t mean I’ll never start a novel. I caught myself structuring a plot on the way home last night, so at least part of my brain is keen on the idea.
I think for the moment I shall keep blogging; sharpening my tools to get them in better shape and getting used to writing regularly. If I think about it I might outline plots and chapter plans but without any immediate attempt to write any detail. If one day I decide to sit down and start writing then that’ll be great, but if I never chose to then it obviously wasn’t important enough to me.
Sparrowgrass 