jarandhel

Have you ever read something that a friend wrote years ago, and just wished you could go back in time and give it a standing ovation when it was written? Just had that experience... rereading the archives of a few mailing lists to prepare for some new work I want to do on a longstanding project of mine.

Ashran, wherever you are: kudos. Seriously. You rock.

As for the quote in the subject line, it just seemed appropriate. On several levels.

As I'm sure anyone reading my journal has noticed, I like to write. A lot. I particularly like to write essays, though since losing my laptop I've had less and less time to work on them. I've tried to make up for that tendency somewhat by reverting back to using notebooks, but frankly I've gotten into a mental state where I write more quickly and more eloquently if I can simply sit down and type my thoughts. Normally, I'd be making use of my usb key to transfer data back and forth between the various computers I use, and keep drafts of my work with me at all times. My trusty usb key, however, has finally failed after a year of very heavy use. I will be getting a new one as time and money allow, but right now it's not a priority. I'm finding other ways around it. The way I would normally use to do this would be to get on gmail and send an email to myself with the draft in it, but frankly that clutters up my inbox. My backup, google notebook, is kind of clunky for real writing, and even for notes really. I'm moving away from using it. So where does that leave me? Actually, with a near-perfect solution: Google Documents and Spreadsheets, Google's answer to Microsoft Office. It may not be as full featured as a desktop-based word processor yet, but it more than fills my needs for jotting out a quick draft to later be pasted into LJ or wherever. I'm actually surprised I never thought of using it this way before. And it appears that Google Docs now has collaboration features built in, so if I ever want to write anything in tandem with someone else... *grins and winks at kyoudai02*

Now, maybe I'll FINALLY get around to writing all those essays I've been meaning to...

Doing some more work today on that awakening essay; I think it's turning out much better than I ever expected, I'm actually learning a good deal in the process of writing this. On many levels. Things tying in that I would not have even remotely expected when I began this. I might not end up putting all of my realizations into the article itself, but I have a feeling just attempting to write this is going to have repercussions for my path in the months and years to come. My understandings are refining a good bit, and the web of mental connections forming from this is rather impressive in some of its implications.

Edit: Any people who identify as elves (Preferably Eldari, Listari, or other non-Elenari space elves) around this afternoon and in the mood to talk? I think I need to chat.

It's somewhat comforting to know that, yes, the Great Master of Horror also had days when he wanted to copy someone else's style rather than develop one of his own. I never knew Lovecraft was such a fanboy for Lord Dunsany before.

Have you ever noticed that your writing instruments influence how ready you feel to write? I find this to be the case a lot with me... at times I can't write a word unless I have just the right type of pen with just the right shade of ink, other times I need a 100% all-natural recycled wood pencil to give me the right feeling. Today it seems to be something new... mechanical pencils with colored lead that I saw at Shop Rite while foodshopping. There's something nice about writing with green, purple, pink, and blue 0.7mm pencil lead, in a standard size mechanical pencil. Sort of like the color options of childhood combined with a tool designed for adults... you know?

Well, for the past few days I've been totally boring many of my friends by talking to them about my latest attempts to improve my writing skills, particularly my fiction writing. Meanwhile my journal has languished here, empty and forgotten, because "I have nothing to write about, my life is too boring." *chuckles* Well, I'm going to kill two birds with one stone and write about my writing attempts.

I like writing... especially fantasy and science fiction. I find the process very... well, relaxing isn't the right word because getting it right is often nerve-wracking. Perhaps "freeing" is the best way to express the feeling. I feel like I'm standing at the doorway to a realm of infinite possibility, which my own mind and heart and dreams can shape, and which my pen can then record for posterity and to share with others.

I like writing nonfiction too, it gives me an excuse to research many diverse topics that interest me so that I can write authoritatively about them. I've always been into reading and learning about strange topics, as a lot of my previous posts have mentioned, and writing about them gives me a way to actually use the information even if it would be impractical for me to incorporate into my own life and practices.

I think I'm fairly good at writing nonfiction, it's fairly easy for me to talk about topics that I've researched and convey the relevant details. Fiction is where I really need to work to improve my skills, I think. I've made a lot of mistakes in my writing. I've confused a problem a character has with the character's personality at times. I've written stories in which the protagonist is rescued by another person, they fall in love and basically walk off into the sunset together; not even realizing that in doing so, I've basically gone and written the story of the damsel in distress rather than that of the gallant knight in shining armor. I've written stories where heroes just automatically know what to do in any given situation, and other stories that aren't really stories at all, just rather weak anecdotes to convey a moral or tell a joke. And then there is my biggest problem: finding the balance between not describing anything well enough for readers to picture it, and drowning the reader in adjectives and adverbs.

I think I've gotten a good start on improving my skills, though: I've started to recognize my weaknesses. If I can learn to correct them properly, and teach myself the skills of grammar and style, plot and description and characterization, I think I'll be well on my way to writing a more interesting and worthwhile tale.

Wish me luck.

-Jarin