Conversations With Myself — "Authoring Books and Writing Too Much" (HiveBloPoMo Day 5)
And so, we have reached Day Five of the #HiveBloPoMo challenge.
Earlier today, I found myself thinking "oh my God, I'm publishing far too many blog posts, this is not good!" But really... that's a silly concern.
After all, this challenge is about publishing daily, right? Of course — in my typical overkill fashion — I determined that I wanted to create this series of "conversations with myself" posts, but at the same time I also wanted to continue publishing my usual content.
But is there really such a thing as "writing too much?" It's just a fact that there are going to be a few days (because of this challenge) where I'm publishing two posts a day and looking at it from that perspective made me realize that that's not exactly "post flooding."
The Original NaNoWriMo Challenge
Then I got to thinking about the NaNoWriMo challenge, which is the original writing challenge this Hive-based version is modeled after. In fact, there are lots of different writing challenges loosely based on it.
In the original version, the goal is writing something every day during the month of November but ultimately to complete a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. When we translate that into its component parts that means writing 1,667 words a day. At least.
So when we bring that metric back to this community, I'm actually not even keeping up with the pace of the original challenge, in terms of writing output. And yes, of course, I realize this is not the same thing!
Regardless, the whole inner conversation made me sit back and contemplate the fact that I have never written a book.
I have attempted to do so, but I've never succeeded in it. My official excuse for that, is that I haven't been able to keep a train of thought going for 50,000 words. Reflecting on that makes me realize that it's all I can do to sit down and write 500-1,000 words in article format, just to put on my blog!
Which I suppose just goes to show that there are all kinds of different approaches to writing. Ultimately, I guess I find myself being somewhere in the middle. When I think about it, I also don't fit at the opposite end of the spectrum with all the people who obsessively sit and put out 300 tweets on Twitter sorry, X everyday.
Writing is often felt like a conversation to me. Being an introvert by nature, most actual conversations I have with people are relatively short and to the point, although there are exceptions with a very tiny handful of people that I know really well. Most other people they get... well... a 300 words synopsis of what needs to be said.
Maybe that sounds a bit glib or silly but it's kind of true!
Looking at My Old Journals
I still write in paper journals... you know, with pen and ink. Sometimes I go back and look at what I have written, and I recognize that a good bit of what's in there is probably the "external conversations" highly extraverted people have with their large circle of friends.
Most of it is neither "deep" not particularly meaningful, nor does is follow a specific topic. Much like my typical thoughts, my journal writing tends to wander all over the place.
And maybe that's OK, and exactly as it should be. Heck, it certainly helped me through the Covid lockdown times, where many people I know were basically going stir crazy!
Anyway, best get this out there, so I can keep up my "days!"
Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation! I do my best to answer comments, even if it sometimes takes a few days!
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(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly and uniquely for this platform — NOT posted anywhere else!)
Created at 2023-11-05 23:33 PDT
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Your post got me thinking about the concept of writing and the diverse ways people approach it. I agree with you; there's no such thing as "writing too much" as long as the content is meaningful and engaging. Each person has their unique style and pace when it comes to writing, and it's a wonderful thing to embrace this diversity.
The comparison to NaNoWriMo is interesting. Writing a book is a significant undertaking, and 50,000 words in a month is indeed quite a challenge. However, it's important to remember that every word written, regardless of the quantity, contributes to personal growth as a writer.
Your journaling habits, as you've described, are a reflection of your thoughts and experiences. They may not always be deep or focused, but they capture moments and feelings, which is valuable in its own right. Writing, whether for self-reflection or for sharing, is a way to connect with ourselves and others.
I appreciate your perspective on writing as a form of conversation. It's true that writing allows us to communicate our thoughts and ideas in a way that suits our individual personalities. Thanks for sharing your reflections with us!
Thanks for your thoughtful comment!
I have always felt that writing is as much an art form, as it is a skill. Over the years, I have known many fellow writers, and perhaps a description that I could most deeply relate to was one person who said "I try to paint with words."
Just like most painters are typically trying to convey much more than just a pretty image, writers aren't just telling a story, but also trying to create a mood through their words. I've always admired those writers whose words are crafted in such a way that I can feel like I'm actually there, inside their story.
In my own small way, I aspire to accomplishing that. Whether I actually succeed remains to be seen.
Whereas I did participate in NaNoWriMo a few times, the main thing I learned from doing so was that I am far better at creating small vignettes of life, than a cohesive story. At first that was a bit distressing for me, but I have made peace with it.
Your perspective on writing as an art form resonates deeply, and the analogy of trying to 'paint with words' is beautiful. Many accomplished authors find their own unique styles, and the ability to create vivid moments, like you do, is a powerful form of storytelling.
The realization that your strength lies in crafting small vignettes is a valuable insight. It's these moments that often capture the essence of a story and leave a lasting impact on readers. Embracing one's writing style is a journey of self-discovery, and your willingness to explore different forms of expression is commendable.
A friend also told me about the NaNoWriMo challenge
It's not bad. 50,000 may seem like a lot but it is what we can achieve
As I understand it, The Originators of the challenge made it in such a way that it would be difficult but definitely doable.
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Interesting post. It's worth bearing in mind that when you're writing 50k words for a potential book, as with the original NaNoWriMo challenge, you can always go back to it after the month end as often as you like to get it fit for publication. You don't have the same luxury with blog posts, so they are, in a way, more demanding as part of such a challenge.
That's a fact, and a good point! And with NaNoWriMo, missing a day or two was never a big deal, if you made it up over the next day, or next few days. Here, you only get the badge if you have a time-stamped post on all 30 UTC-based calendar days.
Which will be challenging, over the Thanksgiving weekend!