Making a start
Ten Five things you've thought of doing but won't
Inspired from here. But not quite finished yet.
1. NaNoWriMo
I guess this one is pretty obvious. I've tried 3 times now. This year I got closest to getting somewhere with 4000 odd words, and 2 weeks in. Before that I managed 1000 at best. I like the idea of writing a novel, better than the actual commitment. Putting aside time every day to write is hard. Never mind the fact that I regulalry spend hours doing nothing - either watching music channels hoping to find a video I like, or doing logic puzzles.
Laziness isn't my only excuse. I like to get things right. I'm a mathematician at heart. I'm used to right and wrong answers. With writing there are lots of wrong answers, a couple of more or less right answers and 1 perfect one that always disappears between my head and whatever I'm writing on/with. I know it's my inner editor and I should turn it off. Getting the words out is half the battle. After they're out I can play with them, tidy them and do whatever I want to get the story the way I want it. But I hve a fear of getting it wrong. Telling myself that the first draft is just that, a draft to be improved on, doesn't help.
I've found that writing longhand, on on my ipod touch helps. It's much harder to edit on these, so I have to just write it down. A bit white space on a screen is so easily changed. It helps, but I still have to , y'know, actually do it!
2. Interrailling
I did seriously consider doing this for a summer. I had the idea of trying to visit all the European capitals. I even got as far as buying a train map of Europe so I could plan a route. Unfortunately, I didn't have the money, the language skills or social skills to do it. I did French and Spanish at school, and I can speak the odd word of Greek, but no-where near enough to get by. It seemed kind of rude to go to all these other places and expect everyone to speak English. Plus I'm not good in new social situations. I have a hard time relaxing enough to speak to people. I'm pretty much terminally shy.
Also, no money!
3. Moving away and starting over
A friend of mine from school did this. She moved, on a whim, from Brighton to Leeds. It wasn't moving for a job, or love, or any other reason. Just because she felt like it. I'm so impressed that she was able to do that. Not to worry about whether it would work out or not, or whether she'd like it there. Sometimes when I get bogged down in how much I hate my job, and not having anyone to hang around with, and frustrated at still living at home, I think I'd like to do that. But I know that I couldn't. I like being near my family. I like security. I need to know that things will be ok. It would be such a big disruption.
Plus I know it wouldn't work out the way I want it to for me. I can't change myself by changing where I live.
4. Doing a Masters
When I finished university I thought about going on to do a Masters. But I know that I would be doing it for the wrong reasons. It wouldn't make me more employable, it would just be me treading water hoping that divine inspiration hits and I find a job I would love.
5. Sticking to resolutions/commitments
This goes along with NaNo. I'm very bad at self-discipline. I have however got more aware of this and am trying to do better.
I can't think of 5 more things for this list at the moment and will try and come back to it later. I think I've done pretty well so far though.
Inspired from here. But not quite finished yet.
1. NaNoWriMo
I guess this one is pretty obvious. I've tried 3 times now. This year I got closest to getting somewhere with 4000 odd words, and 2 weeks in. Before that I managed 1000 at best. I like the idea of writing a novel, better than the actual commitment. Putting aside time every day to write is hard. Never mind the fact that I regulalry spend hours doing nothing - either watching music channels hoping to find a video I like, or doing logic puzzles.
Laziness isn't my only excuse. I like to get things right. I'm a mathematician at heart. I'm used to right and wrong answers. With writing there are lots of wrong answers, a couple of more or less right answers and 1 perfect one that always disappears between my head and whatever I'm writing on/with. I know it's my inner editor and I should turn it off. Getting the words out is half the battle. After they're out I can play with them, tidy them and do whatever I want to get the story the way I want it. But I hve a fear of getting it wrong. Telling myself that the first draft is just that, a draft to be improved on, doesn't help.
I've found that writing longhand, on on my ipod touch helps. It's much harder to edit on these, so I have to just write it down. A bit white space on a screen is so easily changed. It helps, but I still have to , y'know, actually do it!
2. Interrailling
I did seriously consider doing this for a summer. I had the idea of trying to visit all the European capitals. I even got as far as buying a train map of Europe so I could plan a route. Unfortunately, I didn't have the money, the language skills or social skills to do it. I did French and Spanish at school, and I can speak the odd word of Greek, but no-where near enough to get by. It seemed kind of rude to go to all these other places and expect everyone to speak English. Plus I'm not good in new social situations. I have a hard time relaxing enough to speak to people. I'm pretty much terminally shy.
Also, no money!
3. Moving away and starting over
A friend of mine from school did this. She moved, on a whim, from Brighton to Leeds. It wasn't moving for a job, or love, or any other reason. Just because she felt like it. I'm so impressed that she was able to do that. Not to worry about whether it would work out or not, or whether she'd like it there. Sometimes when I get bogged down in how much I hate my job, and not having anyone to hang around with, and frustrated at still living at home, I think I'd like to do that. But I know that I couldn't. I like being near my family. I like security. I need to know that things will be ok. It would be such a big disruption.
Plus I know it wouldn't work out the way I want it to for me. I can't change myself by changing where I live.
4. Doing a Masters
When I finished university I thought about going on to do a Masters. But I know that I would be doing it for the wrong reasons. It wouldn't make me more employable, it would just be me treading water hoping that divine inspiration hits and I find a job I would love.
5. Sticking to resolutions/commitments
This goes along with NaNo. I'm very bad at self-discipline. I have however got more aware of this and am trying to do better.
I can't think of 5 more things for this list at the moment and will try and come back to it later. I think I've done pretty well so far though.