"Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words." - Mark Twain


Sunday, September 20, 2020

Splendid Isolation

                                          
                                           Photo credit: Vlada Karpovich via Pexels

Writing is a solitary craft, as are many artistic pursuits, so it's a good fit for an introvert. And 2020 has certainly turned out to be a banner year for solitude, no? As if a global pandemic weren't enough, nearly the entire west coast is on fire, creating unhealthy to toxic air quality. What better time to stay indoors and be creative? So here I sit, drafting, writing, rewriting. And then...it's time to go public and put whatever I've written "out there."

That's something I've struggled with over the years, for a few reasons. Besides constantly wondering if my writing is "good enough" (whatever that means. Good enough for what?), it sometimes feels counter-intuitive to go public with that which is created in solitude. I struggled with the decision to launch this blog, ultimately deciding that while there was certainly no shortage, I needed a place to point potential freelance clients.

Blog aside, what about other types of writing? I attempted to write a novel several years ago, revising and polishing until I felt it was ready to pitch. I spent a few months being rejected by agents, finally deciding it wasn't meant to be (and no, I didn't want to put it on Amazon), but the process was invaluable. The exercise of developing plot and characters and creating a story with a beginning, middle, and end led to a second, much better novel. So, what's next? Time will tell.

No comments:

Post a Comment