Varying Forms of Writing

Sometimes I get frustrated when I don’t have much time to write fictional stories, but there are other opportunities available for writing that I should take advantage of.

Emails are part of my everyday life, especially at work. At first glance, it would seem that they aren’t of any significance, but that isn’t true. My messages should be conveying thoughts clearly, with just the right words. I don’t want to use the gibberish syntax of instant messaging or send a message that comes across as confusing. Why write an email that doesn't communicate effectively?

Letter writing is quite strange for me, but I have done it from time to time. Our society as a whole has lost touch a bit with reality with all of our emails floating around. It’s good to actually sit down and put pen to paper, to show that I think so much of a person that I would painstakingly draw my words onto a page. It also forces me to think very carefully about what I would say (especially since my hand starts hurting after a couple of paragraphs).

Blogs and journals are another category that I find my writing in. It’s within these that I can let my inhibitions go and express how I truly think and feel. Again, it isn’t the same as writing fiction, but it does exercise similar “muscles” (for lack of a better term).

My point is simply this: rather than becoming frustrated by how little I write fiction, I need to look at all of the opportunities that are before me and write well in each area. Emails, blogs, journals and letters all use the same principles of writing, and if I strive for excellence in each setting, I will be increasing my writing skills as a whole.

Agent Stats Update 5

I don't have many more queries to send. I would have sent more, but I ran out of envelopes.

20 Agents Selected
15 queries submitted (10 electronic, 5 postal)
9 queries awaiting response (average wait time: 26 days)
6 rejections received (4 form-letter rejections; 2 personal rejections)
1 request for additional materials
Average response time: 10 days

The Joy of Writing

I’ve rediscovered that writing is relaxing and enjoyable. Somewhere in the bustling past few months, it seems that I’d lost that realization.

The other day, I was sitting behind the keyboard in my office with my daughter in a baby carrier out in front of me. I had a soundtrack playing, and Elora was kicking and occasionally trying to sing along (at least I think that’s what she was doing). My mind traveled off to the story I was writing, and it was just a wonderful experience.

I try to write stories that others will enjoy reading, but I think that even with stories that don’t make it to publication, I still gain enjoyment from them (along with more experience). Sometimes I do get frustrated with rejections, even after receiving so many, but I need to remember that even though I’m writing with the goal of publication, at the core of it all, I’m writing because I love to write.

This post is to encourage others who have let the strains of publication or life in general get in the way of the happiness that comes from putting words on a page. We are artists, dreamers, imagination wanderers. If we don’t pause to enjoy what we’re doing, why are we even doing it? There was a reason we first started pursuing writing, something we could not explain that compelled us to craft our thoughts through the written word.

If you’ve lost your way, come back. Take up the joy of writing again.