The writing I’ve done this week? I like it.
That’s a rare and wonderful thing. And perhaps, to you, a surprising thing, as I am always writing something, if not for myself then for work. I produce words routinely without a second thought.
Except for when I don’t.
It doesn’t happen all that often that I like something I’ve written. The truth is, I’m a poor judge of my own writing.
One of my great hang-ups, as a writer, is a lack of trust in my words. I will write something, and I won’t like it, or the words don’t feel right, and I will flail. Sometimes, I write write the same paragraph, sometimes even the same sentence, over and over and over, until I feel that I have it right and can move on.
Or, in worse cases, I will change my font or play with a toolbar in Microsoft Word, because I want to change the presentation or I want to feel productive. When, in reality, presentation doesn’t matter and moving around Word’s toolbars is anything but productive.
This week, I’ve felt productive. More importantly, the words I’ve put down on paper feel right. Better, the words feel lively.
I’ve been especially happy with the writing I’ve done for work this week. I spent yesterday afternoon writing editorial copy, and in going back and rereading it, I’m amazed at how smooth it read. Yes, there were some nuts-and-bolts passages — pretty unavoidable, really, when writing about a product — but, by and large, the copy read like something worth reading.
I can be immensely self-critical when it comes to my words. I’m not feeling that this week. This is, I must admit, a strange state of affairs.
I like that. Hopefully this feeling will stay around for a while. 🙂
In light of that, here are my writing plans for the weekend:
- Write Query Letters and send
- Book — Non-Fiction
- Book — Fiction (specifically, historical horror)
- Article (already half-drafted)
- “In the Eve of Our Lives” — “final” proofing pass and send
- “THOD“ — add wordage to the novel, mid-four figures
- Christmas Cards — get them sent out Monday
And, while not on the list specifically, the website redesign is nearly complete. 🙂
Doable? Eminently.
Especially if this newfound writing mood stays around. :cheers: