[ SECRET POST #6465 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #6465 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 21 secrets from Secret Submission Post #924.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

I really want to get back into writing, but I haven't written anything beyond journal entries in over 10 years (which feels shameful to admit for some reason) and I have some new weird kind of writer's block that is fully fear based. Like I have ideas I formulate in my head and I'll get as far as hand writing outlines or ideas but I never quite make it to actual writing. I am determined to work through it, but it is incredibly frustrating at the moment.

Feel free to offer advice. commiserate, or add your own current fears and/or frustrations to this thread.

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

Oof, I feel this so hard, nonny. That was me until maybe just two months ago, even down to the journal entries. I had all the ideas and outlines, but I’d just get paralyzed by fear for stupid reasons and not do any actual writing. I ended up doing Tim Clare’s 100 day writing challenge and that helped me get started. I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t even get to ten days, but just getting stuff down on paper was really helpful. I stopped doing the challenge because I wanted to work on my own thing instead of the exercises and I’ve been writing almost every day.

I’ve also found it very helpful to leave my phone in another room while I write because my phone’s way too distracting. I also write using full screen mode on my computer. Also, and this is kinda silly, but I keep reminding myself that it’s okay for my writing to suck and it should suck in the early stages.

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

Reminding myself it is okay to suck has been huge for my writing. Also, and this is kind of mean, I remind myself how much badfic is out there and I can surely at least meet that minimum.

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

I had never heard of Tim Clare's writing challenge and just looked it up. I'm gonna give it a go tomorrow. Thanks for mentioning in nonny!

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[philstar22]

Well, I was just offered a 10k raise to basically take over the job of my supervisor, who is leaving. I've never been a boss before. So now I'm both excited and scared.

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

Congratulations! Either way, it's nice to be offered.

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[philstar22]

Thanks.

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

That is an excellent twist in the job saga!

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[philstar22]

Yup. It is mostly really nice. I'd honestly mostly made up my mind to turn down the other offer, but this made the decision easier. Thanks.

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

Fuck yeah! Congrats!

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[philstar22]

Thanks.

Secret #7

[(Anonymous)]

Secret #7 today hit me where I live. I'm part of a volunteer group that has been dwindling for the past 5 years. Everyone is beyond burnt out, and there's no one new to pass the torch to. I see the end coming and intellectually I understand nothing lasts forever, but I'm feeling really sad about it.

And I commiserate on the writer's block, so, so, much.

Re: Secret #7

[(Anonymous)]

What kind of volunteering is it, if it's not nosy to ask?

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry anon this is such a long, long answer lol. But I have a lot of things to say about re-learning how to write, I guess!

Best thing I ever did to get myself to start writing again was to start a story by sprinting. Not in the typical, 30 minute sessions that people in writing groups seem to do, but 10 minute sessions. Not sure how well it would work if you're handwriting, but in my experience 10 minutes is just enough time for my brain to stop thinking so damn much and just put words down. Anything longer tends to get more difficult, because there's too much time to let myself wander or overthink everything.

In general, try to take the pressure off yourself to write "properly" or "well". Write on your phone in tiny bursts, a piece of dialogue, a single description. If you're writing outlines, just slowly expand on them on the same page or doc. Text it to a friend. A lot of the fear, at least for me, was that I was kind of paralyzed by the idea that I was wasting my time if I didn't get it right immediately. I hadn't written in so long, so I was embarrassed by my own skill level, even when just writing for myself that would never see the light of day. So by taking the pressure off and making the beginnings feel less like writing and more like chatting with a friend, or jotting a note down to come back to, it got easier overtime.

Finally, make it a habit. If you dedicate even just 5 or 10 minutes to writing every single day, or things that are writing adjacent, it will become part of your day to day. You'll stop getting tripped up in your own head about getting words out.

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

Commiserations, nonny. I've struggled with writer's block too, of the fear/anxiety based kind. It's frustrating because it's so irrational... like what actually happens if I just write something that's utter garbage? Nothing, and nobody knows it but me. But I still find myself paralyzed, or struggling to put words on the page that don't sound like garbage to me. I hope you get through it.

Re: Fear and/or Frustrations

[(Anonymous)]

I haven't written beyond editing lightly from time to time. I'm also at the phase right now where even reading my WIPs I don't like my writing.
I'm giving myself time not to focus on my writing because it seems something not worth my efforts right now.
Likely, other things in my life are taking up more space so I can't focus on writing.

The only advice I can give is to give it a go.
Unfortunately, the only way to get your ideas out there or to get the story written is to get to writing.
I know it's obvious and like...not something new and mind blowing, but the cold hard statement is a reminder to me that writing is literally that. Anything more than that is just embellishments to make us think there's something special or a secret "tip" that will get you to the other side.
Nah, it's literally just...write.