The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was...

scarletpeaches · Dec 30, 2007

Yes folks; a serious thread from SP - who'd'a thunk it?

I'll start.

The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was...I'm a YA writer. It was a revelation to me when I finally figured it out. I like to read YA. A lot of what I write didn't quite fit into chick-lit as the protagonists were a bit too young; their life concerns weren't all shoes, jobs and boyfriends...then one day, I realised...I write YA. Everything slotted into place; I'm a YA writer!

So. Do tell. What's your big discovery of '07?

Uncarved · Dec 30, 2007

My big discovery is that I'm worth more than a few pennies a word. I latched on to some better paying gigs and now have a resolution for the new year in place in regards to my writing. I finally started taking it seriously and wasn't ashamed of my work. That was a HUGE revelation to me.

Next?

mum23 · Dec 30, 2007

scarletpeaches said:
Yes folks; a serious thread from SP - who'd'a thunk it?

I'll start.

The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was...I'm a YA writer. It was a revelation to me when I finally figured it out. I like to read YA. A lot of what I write didn't quite fit into chick-lit as the protagonists were a bit too young; their life concerns weren't all shoes, jobs and boyfriends...then one day, I realised...I write YA. Everything slotted into place; I'm a YA writer!

So. Do tell. What's your big discovery of '07?

My work isn't all about shoes, jobs and boyfriends. What catagory do I fit into then?

jenngreenleaf · Dec 30, 2007

I learned A LOT about myself as a writer in 2007. A.Lot.

The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was that a postive "can do" attitude creates positive results.

I have a huge issue with self-esteem when it comes to career choices and advancement. In October, I was able to look passed all of that "rubbish" and I saw immediate changes [for the better]. Life kicked me in the chops again and, at first, I thought it was a sign for change. It wasn't, though. It was just a challenge presenting itself, as they always do, to work passed and keep moving forward.

melaniehoo · Dec 30, 2007

I learned I had an entire book inside me. This was the first time I'd ever written an entire MS.

brokenfingers · Dec 30, 2007

The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was...

I may not be a writer after all.

Williebee · Dec 30, 2007

I'm lazy and easily distracted.

And I can overcome both of those things.

unless there's chocolate.

kristie911 · Dec 30, 2007

Thanks to NaNo, I realized that when I put my mind to it I can actually write.

Now if I could just finish that damned NaNo novel. I guess I've also realized I'm a lazy writer.

mum23 · Dec 30, 2007

brokenfingers said:
The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was...

I may not be a writer after all.

I think many will feel like this. As melaniehoo said "I learned I had an entire book inside me. This was the first time I'd ever written an entire MS."

This is something I did in 2006. Produced this work of art (or so I thought) to have it completely slammed. What I did learn was "show and tell" THE most important lesson of 2007!

Esopha · Dec 30, 2007

I discovered that I am actually a writer. Which is pretty exciting.

Birol · Dec 30, 2007

brokenfingers said:
The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was...

I may not be a writer after all.

Explain, please.

Zelenka · Dec 30, 2007

Most important thing I learned in 2007 was probably that, if I am any sort of writer, I am a fantasy writer. I don't have any talent for historical fiction, thrillers or 'literary' type stuff, but I can make worlds and play with the cliches and the conventions of the fantasy genre to produce something I think will be good and some people seem to like, and I am quite happy doing that.

I only learned that in the last few months though, so just scraped into 2007...

brokenfingers · Dec 30, 2007

Birol said:
Explain, please.

Hmmmm… Well, I don’t want to derail someone else’s thread so I’ll be brief.

What I meant by my statement was that I seemed to have lost that drive that writers have.

I was in a good zone when the year began, writing pretty regularly but I became extremely busy with life and work in the spring and since then haven’t been able to get back into it. No work on my WIP, no work on a new WIP (that I find intriguing and really like), no shorts and no poetry.

The thing is that even now, I still come up with ideas for shorts and my WIP still lingers in my head, but I just can’t seem to connect any of that to my fingertips. They are truly broken.

I’m just on a hiatus I suppose but I miss the rush of a good day’s writing, the thrill of creation and the satisfying feeling of accomplishment that accompanies it.

So, ultimately, it’s no big deal. Just a lull in the storm.

ETA: Another odd thing - I can't seem to read anymore either. Don't know if it's related or not, but I am having the hardest time just getting myself to actually read a book. Something unprecedented in my life.

scarletpeaches · Dec 30, 2007

Don't worry about the urge. It's not always there. Sometimes writing is a grind. It's what you do when you don't feel passionate about writing that matters. That's when you prove your dedication.

And hey...the amount of threads I've derailed?! Feel free!

Toothpaste · Dec 30, 2007

broken - you may just need a breather. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our passions that they become stale, we forget why we are doing what we are doing in the first place. The good news is if you really are passionate about writing, you'll come back to it. The other good news is if you you really are not passionate about writing, you'll stop and find something else.

As for me, I've learned this year that I can force creativity. That even if I'm not in the mood to write, I can come up with something pretty solid. I've also learned that I am a writer. That may sound odd, but I was really worried all I had was one book in me. Having finished number 2, in whatever shape it is in, I have a lot more confidence in myself.

A. Hamilton · Dec 30, 2007

I learned in 2007 that I don't trust my own instinct when it comes to my creativity,but that I should. Also that I don't recognize my own words when I read them. I'm still figuring out what this means but one realization is that even though I once considered that maybe I am not the writer I hoped, it's not true. I'm better. I deeply desire to write, and can write well when I focus.
I've acknowledged my laziness for a long time, but this year I found I do have more discipline inside me than I thought, and see that much of my issue comes from plain ole' not having enough time. Knowing this will help me be more productive in '08 as I designate more of my personal time to write. It's what's important to me.

I went through a period where I lost interest in reading, but it was then I wrote the most poetry. I'm reading again now, but hesitantly. I tend to write in response to what I take in, so I'm a little afraid to read a lot, because I'm afraid of then not being able to come up with my own original ideas.

Claudia Gray · Dec 30, 2007

I learned a lot about my writing, but feel like I had a handle on myself as a writer, if that makes sense.

TrickyFiction · Dec 30, 2007

I learned that a story can come from a single scene, a character description, one word.
It's like a dark road. If I follow it, I find it just keeps going.

WriterInChains · Dec 30, 2007

I learned that even if you only write a few words per day they really add up over time. 2007 was one of my most productive years, & I didn't have a "per day" or "per week" goal -- just new words every day.

This year I wrote & polished a novel that's getting some attention from agents, started & finished one short story and drafted two others (s/stories usually take me 2-3 years before I'm comfortable submitting them), and am about 40K words into another full length ms. Some days, to say I wrote a paragraph is stretching it -- I work 45-50 hours/week & just moved in November.

Very cool thread, Scarlet!

swvaughn · Dec 30, 2007

Nice thread, Scarlet! Since you're being serious, I'll do the same (also unusual for me).

This year I discovered that I really am a writer, and I write fiction. Therefore, I can no longer churn out soulless ad copy and be a part of bilking other writers who don't know any better out of hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of dollars for a service that just doesn't do what it claims to do (and no, I do not/have not work(ed) for PublishAmerica). Even if it was the only thing paying the bills.

Therefore, I now work at McDonalds, which really doesn't pay the bills too well, and have put all of my writing efforts into the revisions my agent has asked for, in the hopes that this novel will be the one to finally sell.

So I guess this year I've learned that being a starving artist isn't so bad compared to selling my soul. I may be broke, but I'm not a sleaze any more. And hey, I get free pies and cookies if there's any left over at the end of the night, so maybe I won't starve after all.

DeleyanLee · Dec 30, 2007

The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was to play to my strengths as a writer and stop working on stories that accentuated my weaknesses.

Saanen · Dec 30, 2007

I learned that persistence in selling my writing is as important as the writing itself. Before this year I'd never sold any fiction. This year I sold nine stories, made the semi-finals of the Writers of the Future contest, and have a requested full out with a major publisher. None of that would have happened if I hadn't decided to keep sending out stories until they sold, instead of retiring them after they'd gotten a few rejections each as I used to do.

lfraser · Dec 30, 2007

brokenfingers said:
brokenfingers said:

ETA: Another odd thing - I can't seem to read anymore either. Don't know if it's related or not, but I am having the hardest time just getting myself to actually read a book. Something unprecedented in my life.

Click to expand...

I went through that for a time earlier this year -- part of the total frustration I was feeling about my writing. All the joy went out of reading. I couldn't imagine ever being able to write well enough to ever be published, or even just to write well enough not to be ashamed of my work. It might have been simple envy, but I think it went deeper than that. I think I'd started thinking of reading as purely a learning exercise and forgotten how to just enjoy a book.

The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was that while my writing is not as awful as I thought it was, my plotting leaves a lot to be desired.

brokenfingers · Dec 30, 2007

lfraser said:
I went through that for a time earlier this year -- part of the total frustration I was feeling about my writing. All the joy went out of reading. I couldn't imagine ever being able to write well enough to ever be published, or even just to write well enough not to be ashamed of my work. It might have been simple envy, but I think it went deeper than that. I think I'd started thinking of reading as purely a learning exercise and forgotten how to just enjoy a book.

I totally understand what you're saying but, oddly enough, I've never felt that about my writing. I'm pretty confident about my writing and my ability to get better. Plus, I feel I have very marketable ideas as far as my premises go.

I had a hellacious summer this year, the hardest ever I believe, and in hindsight, I think it took more out of me than I initially realized.

My writing hiatus is just one of the aftereffects, I believe.

One of the things that bugged me recently was the fact that I totally missed out on the recent spate of writing contests. I usually LOVE doing those but could not type a single word for a single one of them - even though I had some ideas and the desire to enter them.

This saddened me.

narnia · Dec 30, 2007

The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was the fact that I really really really want to be one, accompanied by depressing gobs of why the heck did it take me so long to follow a childhood dream sweetly tempered by generous amounts of support, encouragement, and guidance from folks here at AW.

:Sun:

The most important thing I discovered about myself as a writer in 2007 was...

I aim to misbehave

Here to network and learn.

And thus we begin the edits

Walkin' That Road

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