on writing

a friend of mine asked me this weekend how nanowrimo was going for me – to which i had to confess that after about 8000 words, i quit – mostly because my main character bored me to no end and also because i have too many other things going on at the moment to focus on something so dedicated as a novel draft. i would like to make an attempt at the 30-day novel again in the not-to-far future, but really i need to be more realistic about setting aside time in my life and not heaping on other things at the same time (like learning how to quilt).

but as far as it goes, i have been writing a tremendous amount anyways – work stuff, letters, bits and pieces of thoughts. at the moment, i have two different personal essays that are lurking in note-form – one of which i might actually be able to publish if i can get it down into some coherent and mildly amusing sketch. i also found some writing exercises online today that have reinspired me to try my hand at poetry again.

unfortunately, this much inspiration generally turns into a fidget rather than anything constructive. i choke, worried i won’t get through it – or i start hating it somewhere in the editing process. which is one of the reasons i prefer blogging: not having to produce anything really finished – my metaphors may remain mixed, my theories half-formed…. which is a lot the way i live my life really.

anyhow – i am supposed to be working from home today but i think i will take my notebook and go for a walk into town. i’m a bit stir-crazy at the moment, and i’d rather be hammering out this workplan i’ve got due in a cafe somewhere rather than my house.