On being stuck between a rewrite and a new story

I have been having serious issues writing. First I had a paralysing inability to think of anything to write about. This caused me a huge amount of distress as I started to question why I write, and even if I should write at all. In the end, it turned out the way it always does: yes, I do have to write. No, I don't always know why. I only know that when I'm not writing for long periods, I feel incomplete, as if there's something I should be doing and am not, as if I'm itching somewhere and just can't reach the right spot to scratch that itch.


So now I'm seriously back to writing, committed to at least doing something, even if it is only updating this blog. I do know, however, that in the wise and paraphrased words of Stephen King, the time we spend talking about writing is time we're not actually writing, so I do want to get down to getting words down on the page. Thus my conundrum:

I finished (for a loose interpretation of the word) a "novel" (another loose interpretation) during NaNoWriMo last year, which, yay. First time I've actually done that and left with something worth keeping. But now it's four months later and it's still just sitting there on the hard drive, all lopsided and amateurish and in a sore need of a rewrite and even a rething of some of the core aspects and yes, even some severe plotting.

On the other hand, there's this story I've been wanting to write since my time in America, about Janie Got a Gun. Yes, the inspiration for that was the Aerosmith song and my paranoia regarding involuntary commitment. To a mental hospital, not to romance, that is. So I finally have something I can do with that idea, the beginnings of a concept, but it's still pretty incomplete.

Now I'm standing before the choice: finish what I've started or go on to something new first, before returning to the unfinished business. Clear my writing palate, so to speak, or strap down and workshop those words into something usable?

For the moment I've pretty much decided to finish the one I have right now and slowly start collecting ideas and plotting an outline for the Janie one so that I could attempt it for this year's NaNo, and it feels like the right choice.

The Writer's Guide to Essential Stationary Part One: Physical stationary

Every writer I know has a strange fascination, bordering on outright obsession  with stationary. I know that the one aisle in the supermarket I have to avoid when money is tight is the stationary aisle - I simply cannot resist all the lovely stationary, even if I don't need it. So as a writer, what do you need?

 

1. Notebooks. Hopefully I don't need to explain why notebooks are on the list of essential stationary. I try to always keep at least one notebook on me (though I've been pretty lax on this recently) just to jot down random thoughts and observations as they come up. There are so many pretty notebooks to choose from that you're sure to find one that will fit both your handbag and purse.

2. Pens. Another obvious one, but strangely neglected in this digital age. Having a few pens on hand is not only practical for everyday situations, but can also come in handy in unexpected ways. I'm reminded of one time when my hair was fine when I left the house that morning, but through the day it came alive and turned into some kind of tentacle monster. I used one of the pens in my bag to twist it into a bun and voila - presentable once more.

3. Pencils in different colours. There's nothing that juices up creativity like playing around with words in different colours. Also useful for brainstorming, where you can make ideas that fit together the same colour, or mindmaps. Or of course, maybe you just like drawing or scribbling.

South African Writing Group

I've been searching frantically, yet I simply cannot find any online writing groups for South African writers to share, critique or provide feedback on your work. This vexes me. There is clearly such a need for a writing group focused on South African writers and their specific needs, and there is a need to have such a group online since most writing groups are located in Gauteng and the Cape and many writers in South Africa are not located in either of those places, yet would still appreciate someone to write with, critique with and share feedback with.

I'm thinking of creating an online South African Writing Group, or at least find a few people to write with and provide feedback on each other's work. If you are interested, please contact me!