I just posted a saved draft that I actually wrote six years ago, but it still applies today. Unfortunately, I've seriously neglected this thing, and I'd like to get back on track with blogging. I need to focus on my brand and put myself out there, even if no one is listening at first.
A lot has happened since I last updated; six years is a long time! I moved to L.A. in 2014, and I've been working as hard as ever on my writing. Currently waiting to see if I get into my dream school, trying not to hold my breath. It's a writing intensive program, and it looks amazing. It's very competitive, though, and... well, there's a whole story behind my application experience, but we'll save that for another day.
Over the last few years, I've had a short story and poem published. I finished my first novel. I've written scripts and worked at a film company. I've even finally learned to be proud of myself and accept that I'm a talented writer. It only took years of people telling me so to get there. Hurray. But seriously, in 2015, I noticed that I'd reached a new level of improvement, and I think that was part of my confidence. I suddenly didn't feel jealous of other writers anymore. I started to believe I could write whatever I wanted.
There will always be ups and downs, and the writer's ego is a desperately fragile and needy thing, but I believe in myself. It doesn't hurt, either, that a lot of other people believe in me too. So here I am, ready to take on the world. If I don't pass out first. Why am I so sleepy?
Right now, I have a million projects, as usual, but I'm making steady progress on my social satire/dark comedy, Headline Babies. It's the project I'd been reaching for over the years, and I finally came up with the ideal concept for what I wanted to do. Here's hoping I can finish this thing soon. The chapters are very structured due to the nature of the novel, and I'm at nearly 50K, but I'm thinking my estimation of 90K-100K is now a little low for this draft. I have no idea how much longer this is going to take.
At any rate, time to get back to writing. Or sleeping. I never feel like I've slept enough. Why isn't the caffeine helping???!!
Thanks for reading, and happy writing!
Sunday, April 9, 2017
The Internet: An Addiction
So a few days ago I was sitting at my computer, trying to get myself to focus, when suddenly disaster struck. My INTERNET went out. I felt the familiar sense of panicked denial as I started refreshing the page a few times, then the router. Nothing. I waited for a moment, hoping it was just a bump in the road. Waited. Waited. Nothing. Not a problem, I'd just call my internet provider and find out what the deal was, maybe see if they could help me out. Heart rate rising, I reached for my phone and dialed them up, only to be greeted by a cold, mocking busy signal. But...it's an automated number! Things were getting out of hand. I could sense the shakes coming on, my vision blurring. Four more tries to my internet provider, busy every time.
I sat there in my cold, lonely room, trying to rationalize it to myself. There are other things I could be doing without the internet. In fact, I'd been trying to work on my writing all day. Begrudgingly, I opened a document and put my fingers to the keyboard. My brain sent the signal to my fingers to begin typing. Nothing. Oh god, the withdrawals were already setting in. All I could think about was *what if.* What if I needed to look something up? What if I needed to e-mail someone about the story? For God's sake, what if I needed to tweet about what I was writing?! It was more than I could take.
Of course, writing would be much more productive without the internet, but somehow it's much more painful when it's gone without your consent. How quickly I succumbed to the inner battle between what I wanted and what I needed--not to mention I was actively at a stand off with my computer. One of us had to give, and by God, it wasn't going to be me. Yeah, this was no laughing matter!
It's so easy to forget just how much we rely on the internet until it's gone, even if it's only gone for a little while. What is it about the world wide web that has us twitching when it isn't available at our fingertips? What's worse, why do we let it prevent us from being as productive as we should? We write because we love it. Love it more than the internet, probably. Getting away from it is healthy, even if losing access can make a person a little bitter. The most prolific and successful writers have to fight the urge to get online. As much as I've been growing and learning lately, that's one lesson I still can't kick in. Maybe this internet break needs to be a daily thing. A little discipline is definitely in order. This was my chance to take a good look my issue. I have a problem, and admitting it is the first step to recovery.
The feeling of panic began to subside, and my brain started to work again. I needed a break; my writing deserved it. So I stopped glancing at the little box in the corner of my screen that told me whether or not I was connected and got to work.
In the end, I had no choice but to close my browser and resign myself to my writing. By the end of the day, after the withdrawals had subsided, I had written 3200 words. And wouldn't you know it? Eventually my internet turned back on.
I sat there in my cold, lonely room, trying to rationalize it to myself. There are other things I could be doing without the internet. In fact, I'd been trying to work on my writing all day. Begrudgingly, I opened a document and put my fingers to the keyboard. My brain sent the signal to my fingers to begin typing. Nothing. Oh god, the withdrawals were already setting in. All I could think about was *what if.* What if I needed to look something up? What if I needed to e-mail someone about the story? For God's sake, what if I needed to tweet about what I was writing?! It was more than I could take.
Of course, writing would be much more productive without the internet, but somehow it's much more painful when it's gone without your consent. How quickly I succumbed to the inner battle between what I wanted and what I needed--not to mention I was actively at a stand off with my computer. One of us had to give, and by God, it wasn't going to be me. Yeah, this was no laughing matter!
It's so easy to forget just how much we rely on the internet until it's gone, even if it's only gone for a little while. What is it about the world wide web that has us twitching when it isn't available at our fingertips? What's worse, why do we let it prevent us from being as productive as we should? We write because we love it. Love it more than the internet, probably. Getting away from it is healthy, even if losing access can make a person a little bitter. The most prolific and successful writers have to fight the urge to get online. As much as I've been growing and learning lately, that's one lesson I still can't kick in. Maybe this internet break needs to be a daily thing. A little discipline is definitely in order. This was my chance to take a good look my issue. I have a problem, and admitting it is the first step to recovery.
The feeling of panic began to subside, and my brain started to work again. I needed a break; my writing deserved it. So I stopped glancing at the little box in the corner of my screen that told me whether or not I was connected and got to work.
In the end, I had no choice but to close my browser and resign myself to my writing. By the end of the day, after the withdrawals had subsided, I had written 3200 words. And wouldn't you know it? Eventually my internet turned back on.
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