Writing Is Not Always Writing.

Writing is not always writing.

Writing is being on the train and mentally seeing your OCs stumble into other people, or flinching away from the germ-ridden handrails, or sleeping on each others’ shoulders.

Writing is hearing a song on the radio and watching one of your scenes play out to the lyrics.

Writing is laying on your floor or sitting by your computer and spending hours collaging newspaper clippings or pictures or people or plants together and making something that is completely, uniquely, your story.

Writing is drawing your characters in your notebooks, and making tea only your one, picky character would drink, and writing an open letter to all your characters just to remind them you love them.

Writing is moodboards, and playlists, and crafts, and asks, and prompts, and pictures, and memories, and you.

So never think that just because you’re not putting words on a page, you’re not a real writer. Writing is something that follows you everywhere, beyond the word document, and beyond the screen.

Because writing isn’t something you do. It’s something you are.

This is something I wrote in one of my fics (🔞)

"Typical French pastry that you can find in every respectable bakery, wherever there is a bakery, that is to say everywhere. What’s the éclair, I’m asking you, if not the ultimate proof that the French are dirty-minded in every aspect of their lives? I mean, the most basic pastry that every baker learns first is nothing less than a long, thick, full and firm cock. And the best way to eat it? With your fingers, shamelessly moaning and shutting your eyes as you take it into your mouth, even on the street, in front of everybody’s salad;"

And that was a real conversation I had with a real friend in real café, eating a very real chocolate éclair 😋

i'm from California, and I'm writing a character from California right now. Should I add in stuff that I do, when I talk, to this character? For example, I've been told that I say "like" a lot ("there was, like, ten of them") and I talk really fast. So should I add that?

Go for it! I’ve lived in various parts of Canada as well as a few other countries, and I love putting in details from here and there. Even if no one else notices, I know it’s there and it makes me happy. Like when I watch TV shows and see my neighbourhood :)

“For this Saturday, when you want to write a ton – I would definitely set yourself up with a series of rewards and know what your milestones are. Either reward yourself after a certain number of words, or just butt-in-chair time, or whatever.”

—

My friend Liz, a great cheerleader and a published novelist

And, also make a list of the things you can think of that might distract you: phone calls, requests for help, boredom, whatever and make little mini plans for how you’re going to ignore or defeat them! [Multiple WIP?] Unless you have a publisher waiting for an older book, I think you’re wise to work on the current one. You have 100% permission to be selfish and just write all day!! Tell yourself that you can’t help anyone else until you’re in the best place – and writing will put you in your best place!

-

I’m gearing up for the 24-hour write-a-thon on Saturday, July 20, 2019, hosted by @queenangst

Goal: Write at least one complete scene for chapter 19 of Soldier’s Heart (James Vega x Jane Shepard), so maybe I’ll manage another chapter by August 11, the last day of #theWIPproject2019 ( @the-wip-project ) hosted by @barbex

My dream was to finish three stories, but I selected a more doable goal of finishing a chapter, which I did and published on Monday.

I’ll be doing the @weekendwritingmarathon this weekend, as always, and might jump in on their Discord server at some official writing sprint times throughout the week. Everyone is welcome!

Self Love

Are you understanding?

Do you show leadership skills?

In what ways are you fearless?

*

Choose one. Choose all three.

Tag, re-blog, reply or just think about your reflection. Show yourself some love today.

entirely fictional 🌸 on Twitter

“this is an amazing shot”

Rain on my parade! Let’s add some more, for the fun of it!

Editing Tip: after reading through your fic/chapter for spelling & grammar mistakes, LISTEN to your story through a screen reader before posting to pick up on additional errors. Sometimes it's easier to HEAR a mistake than to READ one. If you don't have a screen reader, use Google Translate. Copy a little bit at a time (max 5k words) into the translate box then press the speaker button, sit back, and listen.

Bonus learning opportunity: you also get to hear what your fic sounds like to people who listen to fic instead of reading it, so you can edit out any weirdness before posting, thus increasing your fic’s accessibility :)