Growth

Did you grow as as writer during the last year?

Writing is a curious preoccupation. Once you’ve caught the bug, it won’t leave you alone. Sometimes I go days without the time to give to it, but the writing still calls for attention.

It is a solo thing. You can’t share a keyboard with someone as you would a nice dinner or a walk in the park. Engaging in writing means shutting the rest of the world out for an hour or so.

For me, writing is a learning experience. The more I write, the more I want to know how to write. I want to attend every writing conference. I want to read stories others have written and I get inspire to write like these people.

My 2013 writing year was generally good. The best thing I did for myself was attend the annual WIFYR conference. The week long event is always inspiring and the same held true this year. The writing buzz from it carried me though the summer.

By the fall, my writing went into a tailspin. I ran an MS past a friend for a final review before sending it out to the publishing world. She spotted some major character flaws and the whole thing ground to a halt. It took much study of the craft and a couple of months, but I got back on my feet, just in time for NaNoWriMo. That piece is still being worked and it is better for it and hopefully so am I.

May you grow as a writer in 2014.

(This article also posted at http://utahchildrenswriters.blogspot.com)