The Writing Process

“No need to force yourself to do something the “right way” if it’s not your right way. Your job is to honor your process.” —Andi Cumbo

When it comes to the entire process of being a writer, there’s a lot I’m still learning about my own process. I think a good chunk of it is facing my fears. The other part is just figuring out what works for me, and that comes with experience. I’m going to go through it all over again at least a dozen more times. Hopefully, I will have a better understanding of my own process by then.

What have you learned about your writing process?

    The Story ‘IS’ in You

    “If a story is in you, it has to come out.” -William Faulkner

    I don’t think people understand how deep storytelling goes. Storytelling isn’t just writing novels and spending time sharing fish tales by the fire. Even though those two are my favorites, storytelling is so much more vast. It’s teaching, it’s learning, it’s recording history, sales, and everything in between. Once you understand that this life is built on stories, you can learn to live. Not just stories you hear or share but the stories you tell yourself.

    What’s your favorite type of story? Mine are definitely fish tales.

      Just Keep Writing

      “I don’t think the writing life is like deciding you’re going to be a lawyer or a dentist, it’s not that kind of decision. I think it’s something that you already—you’re already on that path before you know it—and you discover it, but I think that if you have to stand back and say, “should I be a writer or should I not be a writer?” If you’re doing that, then the answer is probably, “I should not be.” -Margaret Atwood

      This is an interesting quote. Choosing to be a writer feels different than being a lawyer or a dentist because it’s not as socially accepted as those two jobs. I think writing is something that has levels to it. There’s the casual writer and there’s a committed writer who works daily to improve their craft. Both are deeply valuable to this world. I think it’s normal to question whether this is the path for you. I don’t think uncertainty is a reason to stop writing. If we stopped the minute we questioned ourselves, we wouldn’t have any writers. Just keep writing. That’s really all that matters.

      What on of your favorite parts of writing?

      My favorite part is the part where the writing makes me feel like I’m sitting with someone I love.

      The Chair is Yours

      “In all seriousness, people think that it’s the ideas that are important. Well, everyone has ideas, all the time. I tend to write mine down and remember them, but at some point you have to apply the bum to the seat and knock out about sixty five thousand words – that’s how long a novel is.” -Terry Pratchett

      I’m the type to wrap my day up by working on a novel. I don’t always know what story is in me that needs to come out, but at this point, not knowing isn’t an acceptable excuse. I sit in my chair with my tea and my journal. What helps me to keep going is to leave off in a place where I know what will come next. If I don’t like the story, it’s a pain in the butt to get me to write it.

      I like this story I’m currently working on. It feels better, more free than my first novel. The first novel was all about keeping me going; this one is about doing something daily that brings me joy. I’m going to keep going until I can sling stories left and right.

      Has your writing changed you?

      Anime Marathon -Dragon Ball Z

      This marks Day 4 for my Anime Marathon and let me tell you if you haven’t done this, you should. It’s a soul cleanse. I understand why people love Anime.

      Today I got to watch Dragon Ball Z. I wasn’t sure where to start, but I found DRAGON BALL – EPISODE 1 TO 13 – MOVIE CUT – PILAF SAGA on YouTube. I’ll add a link to it on my blog.

      I did laugh a couple of times out loud at the gym when I watched Son Goku meet a girl for the first time. That was interesting. I love how he saved a turtle. #classic But I had a hard time getting into this show.

      Hey, 3 out of 4 anime isn’t bad!

      Feature Photo from https://dragonballforums.com/

      Anime Marathon -Naruto

      We are on Day 3 of my Anime marathon

      So far I’ve watched Seven Deadly Sins, One Piece, and now Naruto. These shows really have a lot to give.

      Today I started Naruto. I can see why it’s so popular, I was absolutely glued to it. Over the past three days, I have been watching while I cleaned the house. Today I stopped a lot to enjoy the show a bunch of times. There’s so much to learn along with the characters in the show. Even though the characters are young, they are learning deep and profound concepts when it comes to chakras, spiritual energy vs. physical energy. The art in how they wove these concepts into an adventurous cartoon is fascinating. I’m telling you what, a gentle study of one of these a day would be a great way to increase mental health. “Naruto a day keeps the therapist away” or something like that.

      I don’t want to spoil too much, but episode 4 is The Survival Test was my favorite. I… was… watching! I needed to see what happened.

      Fan Art by TakasuXaisaka on Reddit

      How do you feel about Chakras?

      Anime Marathon -One Piece

      “No matter how hard or how impossible it is, never lose sight of your goal.” Luffy from One Piece

      I’m on day two of my anime marathon. Yesterday was Seven Deadly Sins, and today I got to watch One Piece.

      I don’t have a favorite character in One Piece, but one of my favorite things about One Piece is how they include restaurant work as an important part of the series. The cook’s name is Sanji, and he’s pretty badass.

      One thing I did learn was that it’s not an easy transition from a full day of Seven Deadly Sins to One Piece. They require two different types of attention. One Piece required me to sit down and watch it to really gather the information I needed to understand what was going on. Seven Deadly Sins has well-rounded dialogue and deeper concepts. I think One Piece is also deep at times, but it’s far less frequent. To sum it up, One Piece is more light and easygoing. And the one thing I loved was that my little one was able to join me for a couple of episodes.

      Today’s lesson that I took away from One Piece is to keep following your dreams and not give up. Also, sometimes it’s your duty to support others’ dreams on the way to your own.

      What are you life dreams?

      Fan Art Credit Link https://www.deviantart.com/go/journal/Fan-Art-Feature-One-Piece-730052763

      Anime Marathon -Seven Deadly Sins

      “Anime has become part of our cultural consciousness.” -Daniel Baird

      Today anime is common talk. This is why I had to take the first full week of my vacation to dig into it. Today was Seven Deadly Sins. What I love about this show is that it has good moral lessons among all the chaos. We get to see the characters make stupid mistakes and still be shown friendship and compassion. Meliodas is the captain, and he is the type to not freak out and stay loyal to his friends. I like how he just lets things roll off his shoulders.

      What was the first anime that you watched?

      The first anime I watched was Death Note. That’s the one that got me into anime.

      Cover photo was generated by AI

      Also here’s a cool Intro to Anime article I found. It’s pretty interesting.

      Condolences

      “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” – Helen Keller

      It was tough on me this weekend taking in the news of all the innocent lives lost. I was glued to my phone all weekend waiting to hear the latest updates. I hope that the families receive all the support they need. Navigating the holidays without a loved one can be challenging and sometimes feels impossible. This is when they will need community support the most, I hope their communities step up to the plate.

      When’s the last time you reached out to check in on a friend?

      But This Time the Quote is Popova’s

      “We slice through the simultaneity by being everything at once: our first names and our last names, our loneliness and our society, our bold ambition and our blind hope, our unrequited and part-requited loves.” -Maria Popova from her book Figuring

      I liked the quote so much yesterday that I didn’t realize I forgot to actually share Popova’s work. This is a quote from her book Figuring. She has a variety of thoughts that she shares. She’s even got her own creation, Bird Divinations. Her work is the type that makes you think because she takes a shot at sharing words from some of the greatest throughout history. I often head over to her page when I need a good think or some divine inspiration. She speaks on many universal themes that we all grapple with as humans. Her collection of writings will be valuable for much longer than a lifetime.

      Have you checked her out yet?