In June 2020, I set myself a challenge of doing some sort of creative writing for 30 days. The results weren’t spectacular, but any standard, but I am glad gone through with it nonetheless.
I have so much more respect for writers of fiction. While I never seemed to counter the proverbial writer’s block, I did encounter the dreaded editing process. During that month, I also did research on what best practice is for writers when they are writing. If I took away anything, is that a work is produced in the editing stage, and the first draft are nothing but signposts. This was perhaps the most depressing thing. I would write 500 words based on a writing prompt, and consider myself pleased. But when I re-read it again, I began to notice a lot of little things that I would go ahead and change. This normally would not be an issue, but through every re-read, these things would pop up inevitably. It was demoralising. I could only imagine the feeling for an author with a 100,000 word manuscript and an infinitely larger and more complex narrative.
We are blessed to have so many things to write about. I was hesitant in the beginning that I wouldn’t have many things to write about or say, but that’s the beauty of it, you can write about anything. I wrote about the colour green, the importance of socks, and running. Subject matter and context doesn’t matter as much as what you want to say.
Although I wrote only short-form fiction, I can appreciate that all fiction is a labour of love. If people are searching for money or clout, creative writing would probably be bottom-of-the-list. It is not something you get into looking for a quick return. It is arduous, time-consuming, and more likely than not might not even come off. I suppose that’s why first-time authors write in their spare time while keeping a day job to pay the bills. I now rate authors so highly, no matter if their works are commercially successful or not, to pour your heart into your works should always be applauded.