Over the last year or so I've not been writing as much. For a long time, I used writing as an escape and a way to cope with feeling the most depressed I had ever been. Even though writing helped me more than anything, it most certainly wasn't healthy. I needed to take a break from it to remember how to be happy in my own life again, rather than only feeling happiness through the lives of fictional characters.
Taking a break was essential and even though I've still been taking a break from writing my blog, I've been venturing off into the world of fiction again over the last few months, which has been hard, I'm not going to lie, but it feels as if I've returned home.
My slow journey back to the land of creativity has been something I've spoken about out loud, and as with everything in life, my phone knows what I'm up to, (why do they listen so intently?) and now I'm writing again, my TikTok algorithm as thrown me into the writers/readers/book side of Tiktok. Now my FYP is filled with other writers, authors, and book lovers. I always thought this side of the app existed, I'd just never actually seen it, but I have now arrived – woohoo!
I assumed this side of TikTok would be fun, that it would be a creative community that shares and helps each other out, but since I've found myself there I've come to feel quite overwhelmed; it feels like all I seem to be seeing is endless videos telling me all about the things I'm doing wrong!
'Don't say this' 'Your story has to have this' 'If you don't do this you will never be published' 'It needs to have three main parts' 'Getting published is near impossible, you'll never do it' 'I rewrote my novel from scratch three times' 'It needs to have four main parts' …please tell me this seems overwhelming to you too?
I easily get caught up in it all and begin telling myself I have to scrap my story and start again, 'Maybe I say said too many times? Maybe my story doesn't have three, or four, or how-ever-many-that-other-person-said parts to it? I'm not entirely sure what my story's trope is, what am I doing?' My mind rapidly spirals out of control, feeling as if I need to be taking notes and confirming to TikTok's checklist to be classed as a writer.
Then I take a step back and remind myself to breathe.
I understand if I want to be published I might have to have a checklist, and it might have to fit some kind of mold, but right now, I'm writing for fun, and fun doesn't need a checklist! My story is my canvas and I'll paint it how I want.
I never made the decision to write, I never sat down and brainstormed what I could write about- it just happened. I never thought 'I want to write a romance story, how do I do that?' I just did it, and I think conforming to a list of rules I've found on TikTok would take out the magic.
If I actually break it down, my novel does have four main parts, it has a nice conclusion, it's a solid stand-alone story, but has potential for another two follow-up stories. I don't say 'said' all the time, and even though I'm still unsure what trope it fits, I know it's a romance novel, with humour and music intertwined, but most importantly, I know it's special to me, and right now, that's all that matters.
This isn't me saying I won't take helpful tips on board, I absolutely will, but what I am saying is I don't think that writing is a one-size-fits-all hobby or career. Each writer is different, much like every reader is different; we're all looking for something different in everything we write or read and I think that's the most beautiful thing about writing!
I don't think there's a wrong or right way to write; it's art, it's diverse and it's all subject to personal taste. I whole-heartedly believe we all should just write in whichever way makes us happy, and read books that are enjoyable for us to read.
Write happy, and read happy - now there's a checklist I can follow!
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