I love to write. I used to write all the time when I was young to express my feelings and observations about the day. My thoughts would organize as I was doing the evening dishes and then then I would take those thoughts and put it all on paper. (No computer or tablets in my day.) As soon as I would begin to write, a new creative story, song, or poem flowed straight onto the paper. It was euphoric and something I was enthusiastic about.
If I was so enthusiastic about writing, why did I quit? Well, over the years I found myself getting busy (and I mean extremely busy) with life. It was hard to find the time to put my thoughts together, much less write them down.
In retrospect, it is one of my biggest life regrets. I could have used the writing release. I really missed the joy I felt with writing, and the things I was experiencing in that busy life would have made remarkable stories.
As my children all began to leave the nest, and my full-time responsibilities changed, I found myself drawn back to my passion for writing. I woke up one day and decided it was time to start putting my writing back in the forefront. I looked back at things I had written as an adult, and I saw that the spark was still there, it just needed to be reignited.
Easy right? Not really, it all feels a little different now because factors have changed. My writing is now coming from a grown-up mind with different perspectives and not my curious full of wonder young self.
I know I love to write, so I went to social media and put myself out there and sought other writers’ perspectives. If you knew me, you would realize how vulnerable I felt putting myself out there, but it paid off.
Someone suggested going to a White County Creative Writers group meeting and checking it out. Wow, that was scary, going to a meeting where I knew absolutely no one. I was sure they were all talented and polished, but I did it and the people there have inspired me to keep pursuing my writing.
If you have put your passion for writing on the back burner and wish you could ignite that spark again here are suggestions on what I have found that help me to reignite the writing spark.
Write something down. Look around wherever you are sitting and write. It may not be the best thing you have ever written, but it is a first step.
Try to write something every day, even if it is making the grocery list rhyme.
Schedule time for yourself. Putting yourself back in the mix of your time may help unlock that creativity you have locked away.
Don’t be afraid to seek out others who also like to write. It may be scary but valuable.
Accept critiques from others as help, not as negativity. This is hard but seasoned writers have been there and done that and their assessments are valuable.
Get online and start looking for the direction you want to go. There is information on all aspects of writing, publishing, and contest out there. Be careful if it seems sketchy, there is a good chance it is. This is where the guidance from seasoned writers comes in handy. Listen to their advice and learn from mistakes they may have made or information they have collected.
Try something new. Example, if you normally write poetry, try your hand at a short story. If you normally write romance, try a tragedy. You may find you have more skill than you thought.
Believe in yourself. Your style may be different from others, but what you write is important to you and may inspire someone else like you.
I hope you if you are reading this and find yourself wanting to explore your yearning to write, this inspires you to do so. Wishing you all the best as you begin your new writing journey, or as you reignite the writing spark.
- Reignite the Writing Spark - April 8, 2024
Good advice, Bambi! So glad you’ve joined our group.