I deliberately woke up this morning, in part to walk the dog, but mostly to make time for writing before heading out to work. It’s 6:40 AM on a Friday and I hope that, in doing this, I can give my craft the time it requires…and what it deserves.
For the past week (going on two), you could say I’ve become obsessive again with writing, but with a different approach this time around. I wanted to understand why I wanted to write, why I struggled with my recent stories, to see if this whole exercise is still important to me and if so, to make necessary adjustments in my life to accommodate my passion. Believe it or not, it started with a Moleskine journal.
I usually buy a new journal once a year, in the hope that a different notebook, with new paper and cover, will jump start some inspiration. This time, I decided to buy a Moleskine journal specifically…I suppose, at least, to see exactly why so many people fuss over them, the company’s claim to its ties to Hemingway and others notwithstanding. I didn’t have grand plans for the journal at the time; only that, given the cost, I would use it no matter what. Later that night, I wrote my first entry and felt pent-up thoughts on writing, on my life, on myself in general, pour onto the page. No, it wasn’t an Earth-shattering moment, just long overdue. I soon found that writing was still very important to me, yet I focused my free time and energy on other things: video games, watching TV, doing nothing, etc. And in using the Moleskine, I wondered if I needed some new writing tools as well. I’ve come to dislike writing on a desktop computer. I’m not sure why. Maybe its fixed location bothers me, I don’t know. I can’t get comfortable or stay comfortable for long. I have a netbook as my secondary computer (backup to my desktop) and though it has a great keyboard, it still feels small, whether on my lap or on the kitchen table. In any event, I figured I needed to spend some cash.
Before I could that, I had to discard some distractions. I sold my Xbox on Ebay (I’ll explain what I’ll do with those funds in a bit). I haven’t missed it at all (shipped it out this past Monday). I created a Google calendar for my new writing schedule, where I then download it into my BlackBerry…I’ve found it very useful to have that daily schedule on me at all times, to remind me of what I need to do and, if I can’t legitimately get to it at that time, it forces me to think about a contingency plan and act accordingly. If you’re a gadget-addicted writer like me, I can’t stress how invaluable your smartphone can be to your writing (though I’ve tried to write long text on my BB…I can do it, but it’s not an ideal situation). My schedule includes time for journaling, reading a book for an hour (just finished Unaccustomed Earth…excellent read…review coming soon) and work on a short story, whether starting a new one, researching a current one or finishing a revised draft.
And while wanting to feel more comfortable while writing on a computer, admittedly, I used my birthday as slight justification for my new purchase. I’m writing this on my “new” Macbook (bought on Ebay, but just over four months old). It’s too soon to say that this was the best investment I’ve made for my writing, in part because it’s still all shiny and new (my first Mac, btw), so I won’t go into that at this time. I will say that, for comfort’s sake, this is what I needed.
With the money from my Xbox sale, my last purchase will be a digital camera. Why? I had one a few years ago…loved taking pictures, except that the camera was of poor quality. And in terms of art, the reason is two-fold: I want to use pictures (MY pictures lol) to help my writing and I’d like to delve into another creative endeavor/genre. My friend has recommended the Nikon D40 for years now; I don’t know if I want to spend that kind of money (again), but I will purchase a camera soon. Just not sure which one.
I might turn this post into a recurring them of sorts, with regular updates as to my progress. Though I may not post my finished stories on here, I don’t have a problem with sharing excerpts (no biting allowed). I certainly won’t share my Moleskine entries on here, but of course I’ll blog about any overarching ideas/thoughts born from my private journal. Maybe as I document this process, I can spark some inspiration/motivation for others…provided I have readers…which I don’t, but that’s besides the point (or is it).
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