Most of my blog posts, ideas for books, poems, etc. come into my brain already written out. That's just how I think. In high school and college, I would procrastinate until the night before and then whip out the 10 page paper, all the while thinking it was glorious inspiration that allowed me to do that. I told myself that I work better under pressure. Riiiigghht. Have you ever gone back and re-read some of that procrastinator's gold? Some of it was brill. Most of it was cheese.
As I've grown into my writing a bit, I've wondered, 'What would the finished product have been if I'd written a little bit each day-- re-reading, revising, editing--until the deadline?' It seems like an obvious answer, doesn't it? English teachers everywhere are shouting "A-men!" Of COURSE that is how you are supposed to write. But for someone who loathes doing things twice, this sound advice from my AP English teacher makes me want to throw up in my mouth a little bit.
I think that's why I like blog posts. Short enough to write in one sitting, but still exercises the writing muscle. Which brings me to the reason for this post:
I've had a few friends who have done a {365 project} where they choose one thing to do every day for one year. Doesn't just reading that make you feel exhausted? Yeah, me too.
I must be crazy because I decided to join in this year with my own Project 3-6-5: Writing every single day of 2013.
"Well, that's probably not that hard for a writer, Katie." I know. But as you read my dilemma above, it is. Many writers are still waiting for the burst of creativity before they can finish that novel or write that screenplay {guilty.} Or the thought of being a 'disciplined writer' somehow cheapens the masterpiece {guilty again.} But think about it this way: do singers wait until they have found the perfect song before they'll sing? No way. They sing in the shower, at parties (I just witnessed this!), and in restaurants (shout out to my brother's operatic ex who once embarrassed me with her white-girl rendition of "No Scrubs" in a NYC fast food joint. Yes, that happened.) Point being, they exercise their voice...the good, the bad, and the ugly. They stretch it and grow it and try new things. They polish and perform, but there is so much behind-the-scenes work that goes into the final product.
THAT is how I'm going to approach writing from now on. Writing every day doesn't mean that every piece will be seen (though I'm obviously shooting for a blog post week-daily...I realize my previous once-a-season posting made this blog a snorefest.) And just like Dave Ramsey's Debt Snowball picks up steam little by little, I think my writing projects will as well. I'm sure my style will look more like a random tornado than a perfect snowball when it comes to my creative side, but the end result is the same. Action breeds action.
And seeing as how I'm 4 days in, I'm already feeling the positive effects of Project 3-6-5. I guess this project's nickname will now be 'the tornado.' Anybody else crazy enough to do their own Project 3-6-5?
