JOURNAL

On Writing

Storytelling is complicated and difficult. I think it’s a worthy pursuit even when you’re not good at it (yet).

There are so many things that I love about writing. The act of writing can be healing. It can also be creative. It will help you sharpen your message and allow you to communicate to others in a way that the spoken word cannot. There are literally countless good things that I associate with writing.

That doesn’t make it easy and maybe what I love the most.

Recently I signed up for a Vocal membership convinced that I would win the grand prize of $10,000.00. After weeks of procrastination, I did enter a story (here it is) right before the window closed. If I’m being honest I knew at that moment that the act of submitting my story would be my prize for entering. Some part of me still held out hope that my last-minute entry would at least rate a “well done, you!”

It did not.

And, it still feels good that I entered. Is that weird? Is it weird to admit to you, stranger, that I am grateful that my last-minute effort didn’t make the cut? Maybe, but perhaps what is weirder is that I use writing like an online journal that I share with the public. Another thing I love.

I digress.

The point that I wanted to make today is this. Writing, good writing is not easy. It is hard. Something about the love of a good story, well written, makes writing both aspirational and pure pleasure.

The joy of a good story that steals you away is simply put, one of life’s greatest pleasures. I love a good story. I love being swept away by the imagination of another person to a place that I would never have discovered. It’s a secret door in my brain being opened for the first time and I eagerly leap through it to explore — all from the safety of my own world.

Of course, I want to create new worlds and share them with others! Writing gives me the opportunity to be the door.

The only thing that will jar me out of my delicious journey as a reader is — crap writing. Grammatical errors that should have been caught or weak syntax or other sins that catch your eye and turn you into a judgmental English teacher mid-paragraph.

Ugh.

I aspire to learn to tell a story. I believe that it’s in here somewhere and that if I pursue it, I will find a story inside of myself. As I go, I realize daily that I have SO much to learn! Grammatical errors? Hello, that’s me! Poor syntax is apparently my middle name. If there is a sin that a writer can commit, I am knee-deep in it.

And that is what I love the most. The opportunity to learn and grow while I create.

There is a world that is made up of words, and in this world, there are no limits. In this world, I have the option to grow, learn, and change until I can no longer think a thought. Limitless. The world is full of writers that will always best me. I am not excluded because of the greats and not in competition with anyone at all. Not really.

I have so much to learn.

There are so many different ways to write. There are so many things to learn, basics like grammar and technical details that melt my brain. Most especially there is an opportunity to stretch myself and to make an effort to create something from nothing. That is a thrill and personal challenge that I find exhilarating, infuriating, and deeply rewarding depending on the day.

Like all of my best relationships, writing is one that keeps surprising me and that I can’t stay away from, no matter how many times I leave it.

Writing is a little flame burning passionately away inside of me. I keep choosing it over and over again despite the fact that it often deeply wounds my ego. Writing also gives me hope and connects me to the best parts of myself. Writing is a pathway to meeting people that I need and want in my life, too. The benefits of this journey for me are countless.

I think in stories. My mind’s eye is running a movie. I love the nuance and the beauty of words. I love to read, watch, and hear stories because I too am a storyteller.

And every storyteller has to start at the beginning, even when it’s hard and they are not good, not yet.

In love with good storytelling yourself? I highly recommend that you check out some of my favorite authors here on Medium. They are all worth the read! Adeline Dimond, Penny Grubb, Kelley Suzuki, Hayden Moore, and Ellie Jacobson.

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