The Beginning

Hello, Welcome to my blog. You are about to witness something historical happen. Over the course of the next 6 months, I will attempt to become.. wait for it.. a writer. Ok so its not that impressive, and definitely a well trodden path, but I have neither talent nor any real work ethic, so if I pull it off, it will be a feat.

There will be two types of posts, the practical ones where I will collect all the writing tips, author quotes, reading lists and exercises, that I've discovered in my general procrastination on the web, and put it all in one place to be the most helpful to you. The next will be about the experience of becoming a writer, so you get a real inside look into a writers head (because you know that is such a rare experience... if you exclude every book written ever).

Why am I doing this? I hear you groan at me, after you realised you were tricked here because you thought I was someone famous/successful. Is it because I love learning how to write? Is it because the process is just so beautiful and too cute like a sheep-shaped tea cosy not to share with others? Is it because I'm procrastinating from doing assignments? Maybe. But I really love the idea of community, and the internet, when used properly, can do amazing things to bring people together to inspire and encourage each other. (notice how I didn't say critique and put down - I'm talking to you Gerald!)

Ever since I can remember I've wanted to be Beatrix Potter. I've wanted to live in a cottage, have farm animals and a real fire place and spend my days writing letters to the children. This dream then turned into a cool tiny house in a forest where every wall is full of books, no one, apart from my several spanish lovers, knows where I live and I read in my hammock bed and make my own bread everyday. I think it has always been the lifestyle that has enticed me the most. Now I'm a little more realistic about it. But I am still completely in love with the idea of wearing the same clothes for days, staying up indefinitely with a rush of inspiration, and then in the lulls taking on extra shifts at that casual job I am just surviving on, and then visiting cafes, soaking up culture and material and reading as many books as possible over 2 minute noodles. I can't even describe how amazing this life sounds to me.
But it wasn't until someone told me how much hard work went into being a writer, that I started to see it as a genuine possibility rather than just an unlikely pipedream, like being famous/rich.

Ok so here is the first piece of practical advice which you have heard before.

Write.

Write, everyday, if you have an idea for a story that's great, but if not, still write. Write how you are feeling, describe your current setting or all the people in your office, write fake letters to friends, telling them about what's happened in your life. When someone is learning to paint, they don't start and just assume they can paint that picture they see in their head, they first learn how to draw a hand, and a chair and perspective and shadow.
Writers need to learn this too, learn the art of creating a world out of words, how to make a chair appear in their readers heads. I have a notebook for this, and a folder called 'collection of writings' on word.

Next Practical Advice: Start a blog.

Given that the internet is so big, chances are it will go completely unnoticed. This is a good thing. It means you don't have to worry about judgement, but it still feels like getting your work out there. The blog can be about anything, I have one that's about my personal life. Like a slightly more eloquent version of my diary. You can make up a fictional one where two fake people write letters to each other, you can make up one describing people you see on the train and creating character backgrounds for them, you can have one dedicated entirely to painting the picture of a setting and nothing happens. You can have a blog dedicated entirely to describing your dreams. To name a few ideas.

Next time I'm going to talk about beginning a novel.