Growing Pains
I remember the days when I wrote only because I wanted to write. I didn't have a blog. I didn't have a KDP account, I wasn't on Twitter. I was only on Facebook as a normal human being - not a writer craving an audience. It was a pure time. A sweet hassle free season, when I didn't have to force my butt into the chair to get stuff written, I just did it. I didn't care what anyone thought of my writing, mainly because, it never occurred to me that anyone would read it.
It's so different now. As time has passed, my blogging has become more irregular. I wrote (and have saved) lots of drafts that I couldn't bring myself to hit the 'post' button, because I worried what people would think, or worse, that no one would care.
Rather than resist the new version of 'writer me', I knew I needed to embrace it. It reminds me in some way of my Christian walk. There was the initial joy and enthusiasm, the honeymoon period, then the realisation of the day to day living of the new 'normal' life of a believer. Walking the walk as it were.
Recently, I dug out a fiction manuscript that had been gathering dust, unedited. I read it through from start to finish. I love the story and I think it has great potential, but some of the writing is weak (and that's being kind to myself). Despite the cringe moments, I actually found great joy in finding the failings. I didn't notice them when I wrote the story two years ago. Now I see them. I see the repetition, the cliche, the plot holes. I was encouraged and not embarrassed, because it means I've grown as a writer, and developed enough maturity to recognise my shortcomings without having a tantrum, and deleting the whole thing.
Though I miss those carefree days of being a new writer, I know I need to continue to grow up and suit up for the next post or project. As with my Christian life, I must go on challenging my writing self with this question... what is its value, if it does not develop, grow and become the best that God has meant it to be?
Annmarie Miles is from Dublin, Ireland.
She lives with her husband Richard who is a pastor in the Eastern Valley of Gwent, in South Wales. She writes short stories, magazine articles, devotional pieces for Christian radio, and blogs about her faith at www.auntyamo.com Her first collection of short stories published in 2013, is called 'The Long & The Short of it'. Her second collection, 'A Sense of the Sea and other stories,' was published in 2018. She is currently editing a non-fiction book about being an overweight Christian called, 'Have mercy on me O Lord, a slimmer.'
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| I'm a shadow of my former writing self! |
Rather than resist the new version of 'writer me', I knew I needed to embrace it. It reminds me in some way of my Christian walk. There was the initial joy and enthusiasm, the honeymoon period, then the realisation of the day to day living of the new 'normal' life of a believer. Walking the walk as it were.
Recently, I dug out a fiction manuscript that had been gathering dust, unedited. I read it through from start to finish. I love the story and I think it has great potential, but some of the writing is weak (and that's being kind to myself). Despite the cringe moments, I actually found great joy in finding the failings. I didn't notice them when I wrote the story two years ago. Now I see them. I see the repetition, the cliche, the plot holes. I was encouraged and not embarrassed, because it means I've grown as a writer, and developed enough maturity to recognise my shortcomings without having a tantrum, and deleting the whole thing.
Though I miss those carefree days of being a new writer, I know I need to continue to grow up and suit up for the next post or project. As with my Christian life, I must go on challenging my writing self with this question... what is its value, if it does not develop, grow and become the best that God has meant it to be?
Annmarie Miles is from Dublin, Ireland.
She lives with her husband Richard who is a pastor in the Eastern Valley of Gwent, in South Wales. She writes short stories, magazine articles, devotional pieces for Christian radio, and blogs about her faith at www.auntyamo.com Her first collection of short stories published in 2013, is called 'The Long & The Short of it'. Her second collection, 'A Sense of the Sea and other stories,' was published in 2018. She is currently editing a non-fiction book about being an overweight Christian called, 'Have mercy on me O Lord, a slimmer.'
Very true. We do learn as we progress even if some of the learning process is rather painful.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great position to reach, when you can look back at previous writings and think, 'Hey, I've moved on' rather than it making you squirm. It takes a while to get to that point, though!!
ReplyDeleteVery wise words. Writing, like life, changes all the time. Best to embrace the changes but hard when we all crave stability and predictability.
ReplyDelete