Daily novel writing: Having fun
We talk about writing for publishing, attention, brand, accomplishment...where does the fun part come in?
After a small break in April I’m bringing you the next installment of the Daily novel writing series. Posts with exercises, advice and thoughts that help you write your story.
Writers tend to have these three problems that keep them from writing:
Lack of time
Lack of ideas/inspiration
Lack of motivation to write
These are the most common challenges, and they are each hard in their own way. It’s torture not being able to write, when you are inspired. It’s horrible to have the will and need to write and having the time, but not having any ideas to pursue or that feel worth it. Or having ideas and scenes hunting your mind, but being blocked from writing for one reason or another - being too much of a perfectionist, suffering under the fear of ruining the idea by writing it, the writing itself being painful even when it’s a necessary part you care about.
What connects all these problems is the factor of fun.
What role does this factor - the sheer plain old good fun - play in your writing? How much does it matter and how much do you succeed at it?
Let’s make one thing clear: writing is work and it’s good it’s being emphasised, promoted and treated as such. It’s physically demanding, mentally and emotionally taxing and requires time, effort and practice without any guarantee it will be any good.
But writers write because they enjoy it. The format, playing with words but also the content itself. Being topics and themes they care about, having something to say or to simply express their daydreams, ideal scenarios or fears. It’s either cathartic or funny or relaxing. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.
Writing on the market always depends on something. From publishers, the platform or magazine or anthology’s format and topic, or from the market by self-publishers. Maybe that’s where writers who write just for fun have the most freedom - they can write about whatever they want, not being pressured into any kinds of forms or themes they don’t want.
But what writers who want to publish, build a brand or simply share their thoughts and writing fruits can learn from them is to have writing you write only for fun or focus on having fun when writing.
Is that something you always consider these days, when you sit down to write? That the scene you are writing is interesting, that the essay you want to post tags at your heartstrings, that your throat cloggs up, that tears burn in your eyes as you read your own words afterwards?
Make yourself emotional with your own writing. Make writing something that enhances your experience of life and brings you fulfilment and wholeness.
How can you do this?
Follow your heart. And I don’t mean in a figurative sense.
Assignment
Take this week to collect 5x moments, when something piqued your interest. But don’t just let this happen passively, as in waiting till something cool comes up. Actively pay attention to everything around you.
What article resonates with you? What song was on repeat? What sight on the street made you stop in your tracks to enjoy it? What shape were the clouds at night? Could you see them?
Gather five moments of things that made you feel, think, stop or realise you are living this week. What moments would you like to make a picture of and keep? What made this day special?
If you look for it, you will find it. It’s just a certain type of glasses to put on and look at the world around you. A technique to make your life less mundane.
Gather your five moments and pay attention to what resonates with you. In the first phase of daily novel writing, we will focus on finding your idea, exploring what makes your daily life special and how to make writing fun again.
Have fun and check in for next week for the next assignment.
Leave comments with your moments or thoughts about this exercise/posts! I would be happy to read and respond to them.
May the words be with you.