Normally, I write about positives on this blog with a soft, muted, creative tone. However, this summer I have quite the headache being a creative soul, being both too creative and not enough all at once. I have written and not written. I have promised to dedicate myself more to writing, but the more I try to make myself write, the less I get accomplished, so today, I thought I would talk about writing problems. Because really, they have been plaguing me worse than the US Presidential Election this year (which, not to be too political, is really saying a lot... God help us).
Anyway, more to the point, here I have compiled, in an effort to feel better about my lack of work this summer, a list of writing problems and only (or at least mostly) bloggers will understand. They are things that hinder our flow and push us into dead ends only to have the brick wall plowed through whilst you are in the shower and cannot possibly do anything about it, thus creating a binged writing session with wet hair dripping down the back of your new thrifted dress.
Not that this is what is happening right now (it is absolutely what happened). Truthfully, to the point now... Here are 7 writers problems that I at least hope are quite common.
Having too many ideas all at once. This one is by far my most confronted issue at hand. I'll want to work on a short story and draft a new opinion piece
and create a list such as this one. I'll have a lot to say in a very short window of time. It will be difficult to choose which one to work on first, and, inevitably, I will work on none of them as a result. Alternatively, I will half-ass all of them, resulting in a cornucopia of drafts collecting dust in a cave and nothing that is polished and well constructed for the world's beautiful eyes. Which leads me to my next point...
Having approximately 42 drafts in your box, but none feel "ready" for publication. I am very guilty of having many, many pieces that are complete, sometimes I have even inserted photographs into the post, but somehow it doesn't feel like the right time. For example, I have a whole series of creative writing themed posts that I have yet to publish because they feel like they should be carefully curated into their own blog-series, so I feel like I should choose a time specifically for them. There are,however, other occasions where this applies as well. I'll have a moody piece that I feel would be better suited for a colder month, or a piece that should be reserved to be more relevant around an anniversary of time. And, sometimes, I am just insane and don't have a reason why it feels like the wrong time.
Spending hours, and sometimes days or even weeks writing a well thought out opinion piece, only to get comments saying "great post!"... I know a good writer should be grateful for clicks and responses to her thoughts, but there is no better way to say "hey, I didn't read your hard work but I would very much appreciate it if you would read mine" than to reply with a very generic response of "Great post!!!". While I would very much appreciate it if you did dedicate a few minutes, you are by no means obligated to read my latest creative essay. If you are not going to appreciate a piece of hard work, don't comment with something
that lets me know you didn't read it. Respect a writer's ego and at least skim the post and point out one piece that you did especially enjoy.
Ok, ok, I'll stop being selfish now and move on...
Feeling like a you have a good piece and no photographs that properly represent it. Please tell me I am not alone in this feeling. There has been many a time that I have created a time consuming piece that I was incredibly proud of and was ready to publish immediately, only to I agonize over which type of photos to include. I then realize that, much to my dismay, nothing from my stock supply (I keep a special folder full of random photographs I have taken for this occasion, and still turn up dry at times) seems to fit. This results in a frustrated Sunday afternoon trying to curate the best collection only to delay publication when I did not capture the mood.
Having great photographs and no idea what to write to match them. Ah yes, quite the opposite problem than the aforementioned above point. You have a gorgeous photograph, or a series of photographs, that you actually want to include in more than just an Instagram post, but absolutely no clue what to write that matches it's tone. Save the photo for a creative essay? Have a special photography post? Leave it sitting sad and lonely in the stock pile till you know just what to do with it?
Worse yet, I seem to especially have this problem with outfit posts. I'll feel gorgeous one day and know that I simply
must photograph this outfit before I forget its construction (everyone hates trying to reconstruct an outfit only to have seemingly lost the magic) and run outside with my camera and tripod, then have
literally no clue what to write for the post. In fact, that is why I have missed a few fashion posts this summer. I've got photo shoots just sitting around, but the magic is not yet complete.
Writing passionately about a subject then realizing it doesn't fit your blog. I try to keep this blog related to outfits posts, creative writing, and thoughtful essays these days, but in the past I have published pieces (with regret later) that just don't fit the with this particular museum of moments. Sad, because the pieces were good, but simply too large a fit for this blog. These days, I do write them, but I save those rhinestones for later in case I ever have the time to pitch myself at freelance sites.
Having days where you think you want to write, but actually want to do literally anything else but write. Mmm, yes. The days where you really do want to sit yourself down on the couch with your laptop and tall glass of infused water, but instead you spend the day rereading Harry Potter, browsing Instagram, texting a friend, or ending up on a two hour phone call with a relative. While none of these are bad things, you feel that nagging guilt for not writing. I mean, I truly do want to write on days like these (there have been a lot of them this summer), but I also want to
live my life. Sometimes I don't want to be a blogger at all, because I feel like I force deadlines upon myself and cause unnecessary stress, but I would also be sad without a writing outlet.
Yes, I just want to be a superhero and do absolutely everything in a single day, ok?
Are there any other common writing problems you can think of? Do you have solutions for your writing problems? Surely, I am not the only want-to-be superhero writer in the blogging world, so let let me know your thoughts!
Stay Beautiful,
Liz
