I am back today to talk about writing. I know I have been struggling a lot lately with it all and seeing everyone winning or participating in NaNoWriMo and writing, while I haven’t written any single word of anything since mid-September, hasn’t helped with my self-confidence as a writer, at all.
ANYWAY, today I’m a little tired, to be honest and blogging has been a bit hectic, so I wanted to do something quick and fun… A book tag. Thanks to The Orangutan Librarian and the lovely Sophie, I’m going to talk a little bit about writing and who am I as a writer.
If I actually am a writer.
Alright, let’s do this! I hope you’ll enjoy these questions and answers!
What genres, styles, and topics do you write about?
I have been working on the same story for a couple years now – well, now I’m not doing anything and hating myself, really, but I’m mostly writing in the contemporary / mystery genre so far. I do have tons of ideas and I’d love to explore more dystopian universes as well.
As for the topics… there are so many things I want to write and so many things I wish I could pull off in my stories. I want to write about social media, school work, childhood friends, toxic friendships, letting go of people, technologies and their addiction, relationships and distance, I want to write about SO MANY THINGS.
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing for… I don’t know, actually? I’ve been trying to think of an exact date or something, but I have found lately a story I probably wrote when I was ten or eleven years old and it was about a girl with a weird name and magic?! Also, it probably made NO sense whatsoever. But I was writing SOMETHING. So that counts?!
I don’t know, I’ve been writing for a long, long time, I guess?
Why do you write?
People always seem to have the best answer for this kind of question. I write because I can’t not. I write because I love creating new worlds. I write to make my voice heard. And so on.
I don’t really have an answer for this question as great as all of these. I think I mostly write because I am enjoying it?!
When is the best time to write?
I don’t really have tons of time to write. Best times to write, I think, for me, are evenings and weekends.
What parts of writing do you love and hate?
I love…
- Being able to create new worlds and characters just with words
- When inspiration strikes and I basically feel like I am the queen of the world
- When everything just FLOWS and your story is going exactly where you want it to go on its own
- Falling in love with your own characters
I hate…
- Staring at a blank page and having no idea what to write, how to continue and so on. Basically, writer’s block.
- Beginnings and starting new stories.
- EDITING – I don’t really hate it but it scares the hell out of me, okay.
- Actually TALKING about writing at all. I know. I’m doing it right now. I mean, talking about writing with people in the real world. In late September, my sister spilled the beans and told my family that I wrote a book. They were like …
I said it was a bad book and it wasn’t edited and anything and basically hid in a dark cave a thousand miles away and never mentioned it again.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
I… don’t? I really don’t know how to answer that question? I don’t really overcome it, if the words don’t come, I just give up and start again later on. I go read a book, do aesthetics, lose hours on Pinterest and let my sister scream at me to TAKE A DAMN BREAK instead of freaking out.
Are you working on something at the moment?
I already said it before,… I’m not working on anything right now… and I really don’t like it.
What are your writing goals this year?
I’m going to take this for 2018, since we are already in December and… well, let’s face it, I have no idea if I’ll write again this year.
- In 2018, I want to FINALLY manage to edit this damn WIP I wrote. I love it, don’t get me wrong. I’m also having an existential crisis, okay? okay.
- In 2018, I want to try and start writing again on a regular basis. Like I used to in 2017, until I finished my WIP and everything got dark.
- In 2018, I maybe want to try and start another story. I’m juggling between two ideas at the moment, a contemporary I’m not sure I want to write just yet, and a more dystopian-like idea.
- In 2018, I want to participate in NaNoWriMo again. And win. (okay. That probably won’t happen, but let’s put it there, just like that okay.)
I want to tag a couple fellow writers here (if you want to do this obviously!) : Swetlana, Lia, Jackie, Ilsa, May, Julianna, Beth, Dani.
Shanti says
My main goals for 2018 are to try new things with writing and edit at least two if my wips. I think I write because it’s a way for me to make sense of the world and expand how I think, but there’s not just one reason for sure. Editing is totally terrifying, but creating something you’re proud of is fun. Also if you’re feeling like you don’t like working on something, you could try writing a short story, even one set in the same world as your novel? It’s much more manageable to edit small things.
Marie says
Oh, do you have any ideas of what these new things will be? Short stories, new genres or something else? 🙂
Shanti, I think you just planted the seed of an idea there…. thank you so, SO much for this. I’ll have to think about it, but it might be a great idea to immerse myself slowly back into this world! THANK YOU. <3
Ebe says
If you don’t want to edit your WIP, I could help you? I love your posts by the way <3
Marie says
Oh thank you so much! 🙂 Well, if you have any editing advice… I’m listening 😀
Ebe says
Email me (nostalgicfalllacies@gmail.com) if you need any help!!
Amber says
“I said it was a bad book and it wasn’t edited and anything and basically hid in a dark cave a thousand miles away and never mentioned it again.” -> I feel like I have this conversation with my dad three times a year. OMG.
Marie says
Hahahaha I’m so glad you could relate to this. Also, I have to ask: three times a year? HOW MUCH DO YOU WRITE, ARE YOU A WIZARD?!! 😛
Amber says
ONLY IN ALL OF MY DREAMS.
I actually don’t write that much, haha. I’ve written 8-ish drafts which are still sitting in first or second draft stages, and I have 3 different stories in the works and 2 in the Really Good Ideas bin. But the kicker is that my dad only thinks I’m working on the one, the same one I’ve been working on for 12 years. Which I am! … But c’mon Dad there’s other stuff too.
Marie says
Well… you have already written TONS, if you ask me hahaha this is such an awesome accomplishment and you have so many stories in the works and floating around inside your head. It is pretty amazing 😀
Amber says
I wish I could get through the drafting stages! I’m okay with ideas, it’s everything else I have a hard time with! 🙂
Marie says
same here, I have all the ideas, but when it comes to polishing things off… I suck haha 😛
97 says
I loved reading this post so much!! It’s always cool to see people’s writing routines and how they go about their days!!
Marie says
Aw thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it 😀
theorangutanlibrarian says
That gif at the beginning is so good! Hehe I think we all feel like that 😉 Your loves and hates so are so great- I love what you said about falling in love with your own characters 😀 I totally get what you mean about how hard it is to talk about writing. And ugh writer’s block. But your goals sound great!! Good luck 😀
Marie says
Hahaha, I guess we all have an existential crisis about writing about… three times a year or something? haha.
Thank you so, so much!! 😀
theorangutanlibrarian says
hahaha yes!! So true lol!! I think it’s part of the process lol! You’re very welcome!!
Beth (Reading Every Night) says
I love your answers for this tag Marie. 🙂 Also so many of them will probably be my answers as well. 😀 I’ve been writing for ages too, I can’t actually put a age to when I first started because it was a really really long time ago (and I have a memory like a goldfish) but when I think about why I started writing, and why I am writing, it’s just because I love it (after all that’s pretty much why I do everything).
Oh I hate talking about writing too, and if anyone asks about my WIP I never really have an answer because I don’t know how to talk about it! In fact I’d probably hide in a dark cave a thousand miles away as well. 😀
Also I’ll wish you luck with your 2018 goals (I’m sure you’ll achieve them) and it would be so great if you did take part in NaNo next year as well.
Thanks for the tag, I can’t wait to get started on this one, and again great post! 😀 <3
Marie says
Oh thank you so much, Beth!! 😀 Let’s hope we both meet our goals this year and manage to write lots. Your support means so much to me! <3 <3
Beth (Reading Every Night) says
That’s all right, and yeah I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the both of us! 😀 <3
Rosalyn Kelly says
My plans for 2018 is to set aside the zero draft of my WIP for a few weeks (which I plan to have finished New Year’s Eve *knocks thrice on wood*), spend that time noodling on a different project, then return to the current WIP to write the actual first draft. That’s a loose plan from January 1 to May 31.
Marie says
Yay, that’s a GREAT plan!! Best of luck for everything 😀 xx
Jacqueline @bluejaybooks says
This seems like a fun tag! Yeah, seeing everyone winning NaNo has been tough. It’s been so long since I have written something that wasn’t for school, my blog, or work.
In fact, the only reason I’ve done any creative writing at all in November was because I convinced one of my professors to let me turn in a short story instead of an essay for one of my final projects… I think I enjoyed that final project a little too much 🙂
Marie says
Oh it was a fun tag! Feel free to do it, I would love to read you answers 😀
Hahahah oh, that’s great! Well at least you wrote something, it’s already great! I hope that the next month will bring a whole lot more time for you to write and focus on your stories 🙂
Jacqueline @bluejaybooks says
Yeah, it does sound fun, so I just might 🙂
Thanks! It should. Just a little while longer of being busy and then I expect to have more time than I’ll know what to do with. It’ll be great 🙂
Marie says
GREAT! I can’t wait to read your answers 😀
alexandrareads says
I write because it is a need. It is something that I need to do to get my voice and others across. I am currently outlining a WIP and I am so excited about it. I would like to consider it a YA Contemporary with a hint of darkness. My main goal for 2018 is to get a first draft of my story done and to get the second draft done and if it possible to go through a third time. I hate getting writers block and YOU EXACTLY SAID THE WAY I FEEL. LIKE OMG, WHEN I GET IN A WRITERS BLOCK I JUST CAN’T AND THAN I DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. I failed NaNoWriMo too, but hey, it doesn’t matter, at least I found an idea. My favorite part of writing is plotting and having those AH HA moments. The moments I hate is looking back and thinking that my writing is a total piece of S***. But who care. I loved your post BTW.
Marie says
OH I am SO curious about your WIP now! Contemporaries with a dark side are my favorites, it is the kind of story I am currently working on, as well 😀
Best of luck for your first draft, I hope all the words will flow and that you will have fun!!
OH YES, it is pretty amazing when you’re finding everything that works out in your story and just… love it all. I LOVE that moment. <3
Thank you so much!! 😀
alexandrareads says
Thank you. I am so nervous about my WIP because it somewhat seems like another book I read so I had to change a small part. I SOOO WANT TO READ A BOOK YOU WRITE. Finding the words are the best. Thank you for reading and commenting back.
Marie says
Oh I understand that frustration – there are always books out there, stories, written, published or not, that will look like ours and be similar in different ways. I guess we need to remind ourselves that we are unique in the way we tell the stories, too 🙂
Thank YOU for your sweet comment! <3 <3
alexandrareads says
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SWEET COMMENT. I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY 🙂
Ichabod Temperance says
What genres, styles, and topics do you write about?
A- My stories are whimsical, steampunk, paranormal, adventures with happy endings. There is no graphic sex, nor violence, but Miss Plumtartt says that I accidentally sprinkle them in mild innuendo…
How long have you been writing?
A- I had never written so much as a grocery list until I discovered the genre of ‘steampunk’. I wanted to develop my own steampunk persona, so I wrote a little backstory for my character. That was so much fun that I made it into a novel and kept writing more.
Why do you write?
A- For the fun and adventure!
When is the best time to write?
A- Early in the morning. Once I get distracted, I’m done.
What parts of writing do you love and hate?
A- Love- I’m a pantser, so I love when the story surprises me.
Hate-. I hate doing research. I’m glad I write whimsy!
How do you overcome writer’s block?
A- I don’t know. I had ten books pop out of me one after another in a three and a half year time. Now it has been a year and a half since I finished a book. I had one going, but I lost faith in it.
Are you working on something at the moment?
A- I have had an idea bubbling around in the back of my mind. I may get away from my series and write a {light} horror {ghost} novel under a different name.
What are your writing goals this year?
A- I do a lot of production work at a historic landmark here in Birmingham, Alabama: Sloss Furnace. It is consistently rated as on of the most haunted sites in America. I plan on doing a lot of research on this facility and writing a ghost story to go with it. 🙂
Happy Writing, Marie!
Shame on your sister for telling your secret.
I had fun with the tag.
Your pal,
~Icky. 🙂
Marie says
Oh yay, so glad you answered these and had fun with this tag, Icky! 😀 I love it SO much when the story surprises me, as well. I’m a bit of a mix between a planner and a panster and I love it when things just… go their own way and surprise me, it is so amazing 🙂
Best of luck for all of your writing! 😀
thetruelife12 says
This is a GREAT post. It’s comforting to know that I’m not alone on this path 🙂 I often ask myself, why I chose to be a writer, but then I remember I was born with the gift. Just like you, I began writing as a child. It’s just a part of me and there’s nothing I can do about it but perfect it. When my imagination takes control, I’m helpless! I just let it take me for a ride and before I know it, I’ve written another book! When I have writer’s block, I painfully accept it and step away. Don’t beat yourself up about that. When the creative juices aren’t flowing, don’t force it. Sadly, I published my first book in 2010, and started my second book in 2012. It’s now about to be 2018 and I’m in the final stage of editing my second book. That’s shameful to me! So don’t feel bad. Of course many things had happened in that time span, I had my first child, bought my first house, etc. I feel like I could’ve written twelve books in that time span. This one girl told me she has ten sci-fi books written but has never thought to publish any of them. I wanted to slap myself lol I envied her. In conclusion, I want to write more books, but I don’t really want to edit. Keep up the good work!
Marie says
OH NO! It’s NOT shameful at all to be on your second book edits! I haven’t written that much in that many years, I am the one that should be ashamed haha. You are doing GREAT and everyone has their own writing rhythm, as they try and juggle with their lives on the side and everything 🙂
I hope you’ll write more and more and most importantly, have fun with it all 😀
thank you so much for your comment!! xx
Emily @ Mixed Margins says
I write because it’s fun. I could probably come up with something more profound, but that’s pretty much the ultimate reason. It’s fun, even when the day-to-day writing is hard. And the little moments of accomplishment along the way make it worthwhile.
Good luck on your 2018 writing goals! You’ve got this. 😉
Marie says
YES you’re so right, I agree. Writing is fun and as long as we are having fun with it, we should keep on going 😀
Thank you so much for your sweet words, Emily! Best of luck for your writing goals as well 😀
Anna @ Read and Repeat says
I like this tag! I might steal it 😉
Haha, all my characters in my stories that I wrote as a child had /really/ odd names I found on the internet. I apparently had something against normal names?
I hope 2018 is a good writing year for you! I also would like to get back to writing regularly instead of writing NOTHING and then doing NaNo.
Marie says
Oh yes, please do, Anna! I’d love to read your answers 😀
Well… normal names are boring sometimes, ahah, I’m really curious to hear some of your characters’ names now 😛
Best of luck for your writing goals, I hope you’ll find a way to write regularly <3
Valerie says
I’m not a writer whatsoever, except for papers for grad school and such, BUT THAT DOES NOT COUNT. And omg Marie it’s okay that you did not participate and win at Nanowrimo. WE STILL LOVE YOU. But seriously, sometimes you do need that break, and plus, you actually finished something this year, which is a HUGE accomplishment!
To be honest, I like editing much more than writing. Like you, I hate staring at a blank screen and not knowing where to start. It sucks!
Marie says
Thank you so, so much Valerie, you’re the sweetest!! <3 <3
Blank screens are the worst, whether it's to write stories or essays or blog posts hahaha. I just want all the inspiration right away 😛
Raven @ Dreamy Addictions says
Love your answers! I’m not a great writer but I’m a great reader! haha! XD Anyway, I hope you achieve all your writer goals of 2018. Good luck! 😉
Marie says
Haha YES, you are an AMAZING reader, Raven, one of the best I know 😀
Thank you so much!! <3
Sophie Li says
Hello Marie!!! <3
I love your answers and I can absolutely relate! I had to smile at the part where you wrote about "a girl with a weird name and magic" because I'm pretty sure I wrote a story like that too when I was little!! It is always hilarious (and a bit embarrassing) to find stuff that we wrote a long time ago, isn't it? :')
I think you shouldn't feel bad about not having done Nanowrimo. The inspiration will come when it does, and one day you will be ready to write again. That's great to hear that you have some ideas in mind 🙂
In 2018, I hope to finish writing my current WIP. I might edit Matt and Olivia's novel again (and give it a name haha). I think you have some great goals for the new year! Wishing you all the best on these goals 🙂
Marie says
Hi Sophie!! <3
Oh you're so right ahah, it is so embarassing to read what we wrote years and years ago – but… in a way, it also makes me proud, because I wanted to write entire stories already and this feeling stick with me 🙂
These are amazing goals! I hope you'll manage to succeed in everything, and I can't wait to read your books someday 😀
Thank you, Sophie! <3 <3
Sophie Li says
Yes we should definitely be proud that we’ve been writing for so long, and it’s always great to look back and see how far we’ve come 🙂
Thank you Marie <3
Lia says
Thanks for tagging me! I love this tag! I’m super awkward when it comes to talking about writing in real life omg
One time, during the summer, my dad asked me what I was doing all day and I just spilled out I was writing and then I sat there like.. uhm help. I think they already forgot about the fact that I was writing a book, but I don’t mind because I hate talking about it in real life! I really don’t mind talking about it on the internet, but in real life…
Marie says
Oh you’re so welcome, Lia! <3
Hahaha I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I feel WAY too awkward to talk about it around me, as well…my sister's the only one who really knows I write and how much I love / obsess / get mad about it all hahaha, but otherwise I'm just too nervous to talk about it hahhaa. we will once we manage to get published 😛
Poulami @ Daydreaming Books says
I really wish I can dedicate more of time to writing in 2018.
Marie says
Me too. We should make that our 2018 goal and motivate and remind each other to do so regularly <3
Poulami @ Daydreaming Books says
Deal! I’m in. <3
Marie says
Well let’s do that then. And coach each other and write together and just motivate each other. WE CAN DO THIS, write all the words <3
Poulami @ Daydreaming Books says
Yes, yes!! We can definitely set a goal and work according to it! 🙂
Marie says
That would be awesome <3
Poulami @ Daydreaming Books says
Would you like to do this over email or twitter’s dm??
Marie says
Hm, twitter DMs would be easier for me, if that’d be good for you 😀
Poulami @ Daydreaming Books says
Yep!! It’s super duper okay for me too. 🙂
Marie says
Great!! 😀
May @ Forever and Everly says
Aww, thank you so much for tagging me, Marie!! I already did it but it was smushed with another topic (like the amateur I was) so I might revisit it! 😛
OMG I’M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR TELLING YOUR FAMILY THAT YOU WROTE A BOOK!!! <3 That's such a huge step in being more confident in your writing, and it shows how brave you are. <3 <3
Ooh, I hope you're able to edit your WIP & maybe start a new one!! I LOVE all the topics you want to write about — especially toxic friendships & addictions to technology. Those are two really important topics, and I'm certain you woul tackle them beautifully. <3
Marie says
Ohh I’m sorry if I re-tagged you, if you don’t want to do it, it’s totally fine, but I’d love to read your answers 😀
Awww thank you that’s so sweet! I’m far from being really brave and confident with my writing ahah, but… small steps 😛 Thank you so, so much, you’re way too sweet May, let’s hope I manage to write again ahah and get into these topics! <3 <3