Write Wednesday: Just Keep Writing

I go back and forth with the question "Am I A Writer?"

Sometimes, I think, "I only write as a hobby."  Other times, I envision myself in a writing room with a bunch of other writes creating stories on a well-loved, long-lived TV show.  And sometimes, I just feel the urge to write and a poem appears.

No matter what is happening, I get the itch to write.  It's a nagging sensation in my fingers and head that wants me to spill out a story.

And sometimes, to my shame, I ignore it and am completely unproductive.  Other times, I crank out a few thousands words and feel...assuaged?  I feel better.  Like something just came into focus.

I guess the more I write, the more I want to write.  So the advice today is...

Just keep writing.  Every day.  No matter if you have the itch or not.  Writing begets writing, and the more you exercise those muscles, the stronger they'll be.

If you are having a difficulty in coming up with stuff to write, watch something that inspires you or tugs at your heartstrings -- lately, for me, this has included everything from an episode of Glee, Freaks and Geeks, Supernatural, or the movie The King's Speech (or any Harry Potter movie).

Or, find a writing prompt.  Ask someone to give you a topic.  Read up on something you've always wanted to know more about (Amelia Earhart, Grace O'Malley the Irish Pirate Queen, the Bermuda Triangle, Bigfoot, whatever strikes your fancy) -- or write about something you know too well (little brothers, for instance).

And on those days when you yearn to write...don't kid yourself that the elaborate prose you dictate to your fingers is The Next Big Thing.  But don't throw it out with the trash either, because it COULD be TNBT with a little editing...perhaps.

Just keep writing, writing, writing, writing, writing.

Those who are determined and keep writing eventually, I believe, find an audience.

 Go write something.  Your audience will find you eventually (and for now, YOU are your audience, so write what you'd like to read).

I'm going to go follow my own advice now.

(Do you have any advice for me?  Writing prompts?  ...Anything?)