Friday, September 28, 2012

Write On Edge: Writing Goals

Write On Edge would like to know what our writing ambitions and goals are in 300 words or less. Mine is really very basic but a goal none the less: What I'm really, really good at is throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. I'm Italian so there's lots of that. I may be patting myself on the back in this area. I generally have lots of ideas that translate into decent writing. Therein lies the problem. I never feel that it's enough. That my final product is good enough, clever enough, touching enough.... What to do about that? Do I keep writing as I am or do I change it up? My writing goal is to begin changing it up. Break out of my comfort zone and instead of writing mostly non-fiction, use what I know about life, God knows I lived long enough to know a lot, and turn it into engaging fiction. I need to break out of my square box and begin testing my wings of creativity. I know for a fact I can make up all kinds of things and I can verbally tell a funny tale. Just ask my friends and my kids who think I'm crazy. That's what I'm going to try and that will be my goal... Get the crazy (good crazy) out there on paper instead of letting it only reside in my brain or in the stories I tell people through my spoken words. I need to throw a different shape of pasta against the wall. One that's better than decent!

32 comments:

Stacey said...

That's a great goal! It is scary to step outside the box because the box is so comfortable. I hadn't written fiction at all until a couple of years ago. I have surprised myself at how much I enjoy doing it.

Arnebya said...

Here's to pasta-covered walls.

Morgan said...

I'm with you! I, too, tell true stories well, but I've only begun to dabble in tall tales. Here's to hoping some of the fear starts to wear off, but maybe the fear says, "Here's your new challenge - tackle it!" Hope you find a new niche that you like!

Visiting from WOE.

barbara @ de rebus said...

The crazy is always better on the paper than in our heads! Good luck!

angela said...

That's a great goal, moving out of your comfort zone. I hope you find luck and great results trying out your new "pasta".

Gina said...

Thanks, Stacey! I bored with my box. I have to get over the fear, get some stuff on paper (here) and get over it. Why am I so scared to make stuff up? I do it all the time.

Gina said...

I'll take a picture!

Gina said...

Thanks for the encouraging words, Morgan! I love reading tall tales! I'm way overdue for a new challenge. Maybe next week for WOE, I will come up with something out there in the fiction world... Well, maybe not too out there just yet!

Gina said...

And I've got them up there...the crazies (but not the snakes!) Thanks, Barbara!

Gina said...

I'm really going to try. But it's so cozy to snuggle in my comfort zone but, oh so, limiting! I hope to try out a new shape weekly (wouldn't it be great to eat it everyday, too!)

Carrie said...

good luck on achieving your goal! I'm sure we will all love reading some of that pasta sticking on the wall craziness :)

TMWHickman said...

I think your fiction will simply rock! I look forward to reading more...

Julie DeMille said...

Spread those wings! We all have those feelings of inadequacy, push past them and write!!

Cameron said...

Throw your stories against the wall and see if they stick!

I might have to put that on a teeshirt!

Anonymous said...

I was always most comfortable writing non-fiction, too. In some ways, I probably always will be. Much as I love to read fantasy series to my kids, you won't see any vampires or unicorns in my fiction any time soon. But I think it's possible to stay in your "real life" comfort zone and still write fiction. For me, the spark was lit by some genealogy research I started. I found out a bunch of stuff that was fascinating, but also tantalizing because there were so many blanks to fill in. I though, 'well, I could just make some stuff up" and suddenly, there I was, writing a novel. Maybe there's a great story, or part of a story, in your family's distant or recent past that you could focus on. Good luck!

Gina said...

Thanks, Carrie! I will see what I can do!

Gina said...

Thanks, friend! I hope not to disappoint!

Gina said...

With all this encouragement, I'm now getting a little nervous! Will do!

Gina said...

All my stories are on some wall somewhere. Some hanging firmly and others sliding down all the wy to the floor. Fun tee shirt! I'd buy one.

Gina said...

Got It, Ma! Outstanding idea. My Italian relatives from the old neighbor harbored many skeletons. I LOVE the "filling in the blanks" of my family history and I've done some digging for my father over the years. Thank you so much for your support here and encouragement. I can do this!

Jack said...

Get naked and get brave. I haven't ever met a writer who was worth reading who from time to time didn't question their value and ability.

I write a fair amount of fiction but I publish very little because I worry about it being worth reading. I worry about whether it sounds ridiculous.

One of the best things I ever did was set up that other blog just for fiction.

I strongly encourage you to do it. Just write. Turn off your mind and let go.

Gina said...

How did you know my writing technique ;-)

I like the idea of a pure fiction blog that I could share with whom I'm comfortable. That's my favorite on of yours! I do need to turn off my brains and let loose the crazies! I have gobs of stuff on my hard drive that no one sees and that I've never even gone back and read.

dontpanic2011 said...

Why stick with just one shape of pasta? I say experiment with a variety of them! Just remember, fiction is simply non-fiction that hasn't actually happened! All of the trappings that make it sci-fi or historical or whatever are just that, trappings. The story is still real.

Kenya G. Johnson said...

Love it! Though telling a non fiction tale was my first niche I having a hard time writing that way now.

Gina said...

I. LOVE. THIS!!! You are so right. It is real...in my mind as I'm writing! "fiction is simply non-fiction that hasn't actually happened!" This is perfect for me. I can wrap my head around this comment! Thank you so much Wisper!

Gina said...

That is/was me as well but I'm feeling bored with my self, my antics, my stories. I have more but I'm losing something in the telling or they're not just interesting to me anymore! (Therefore, to no one else either?)

Jack said...

There are a bunch of posts on that fiction blog that I never would have done anything more with had it not been for readers.

I write because I have stories I want to share and get out of my head, but once they are on paper I sort of forget about them.


Except when people start to comment and ask questions I begin to realize that maybe there is something more there.

You have seen me say it before, but I'll do it again. If you love what you are doing than why not try to do more.

Set up the blog and let it fly. See what happens.

Gina said...

I think I may do just that. I need o come up with a name and I'd probably write under a different name and profile so I can feel more free.

The Gal Herself said...

Let me begin by stating that I'm a little in love with Mark Harmon. That explains why I hung on his every word during an Entertainment Tonight interview. He was asked about the shows and movies he did that weren't successful -- did he regret his choices? "No, because actors act." He took the work that came his way and did the best he could. It was the process of acting that gave him pleasure, not necessarily how the final product is judged.

Of course, if he was Italian, he'd probably have just said, "I'm really, really good at is throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks."

Gina said...

I like this, Gal! It is all in the writing. Flowing words, whether through my eyes or hands, gives me pleasure. Do I love all books I read? No. Do I like everything I write? No, again. But I still love doing both and I've always thought Mark Harmon was a hottie, too! Well you didn't exactly say hottie up there but I'm taking liberties with my interpretation.

I really like his thoughts on his creative outlet!

Peaches Ledwidge said...

Break out of your comfort zone and rev up your writing with believable fiction.

That's what I intend to do soon.

Gina said...

I'm going to try to break out. Thanks for your encouragement, Peaches! Let's do it together!