I’ve been writing one short story a week.
The main reason I entered grad school was to get back into the swing of creativity. I would often brush writing off as a negotiable item, something that I enjoyed doing but couldn’t stack against other responsibilities.
In reality I’ve found that it’s an invaluable outlet for me, not because it leads anywhere but because I genuinely get joy from it.
As my MFA draws to a close (I’m just waiting the final marks on my thesis. Not worried at all, no, why would you think that?) I’ve been reflecting, and I think the program was a success: writing is now a habit, something I’ve learned to prioritize. I want to keep that going.
One of the reasons I chose to write a story a week is this excerpt from Ira Glass of NPR:
This immediately inspired me. I’m not even sure why; there are tons of quotes about why persistence and writing and being patient with our skills. Maybe it just reached me at the right time and place.
So. I’ve been writing, and I’ve been learning. This is primarily a UX Writing blog, so some of the “lessons” here can definitely be applied to microcopy.
Some are garbage
No, really. Absolute garbage. Dumpster fires of garbage. Please delete this from my history if I die garbage.
I’m always for quality over quantity, but I’ve learned that you often can’t get the former without the latter. Sometimes you have to write through the garbage to get to the good stuff.
It’s also just really, really nice to have a deadline, even if it’s self-imposed. If I set a goal, I’m a lot more likely to sit down at my desk with a cup of coffee.
And sometimes, stories turn out a little bit nicer than garbage, which is nice. (One such will be published next month in an online lit journal. Stay tuned.)
Ideas are everywhere
I’ve been flipping my way through The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. Honestly, if someone recommended this book to me a few years ago, I’d have rolled my eyes. Some of the quotes would have a cozy home on a teenager’s Tumblr account.
But again: Sometimes the cheesy advice is the advice you need. One of Rubin’s main concepts is that of seeds. Seeds — or ideas that will lead to creative output — are everywhere, if we just bother to look.
I have a page in my Notion app called 🌱 Seeds. I write down any and all ideas, even if I want to discard them immediately. Some turn into cool stories. Others never take root. But there’s a surprising amount of inspiration out there.
It’s not about productivity
Yes, it feels good to have written. Yes, it’s nice to check it off the reproductive to-do list. And there are benefits from having a creative outlet: problem solving, personal growth, whatever.
But the act itself, the enjoyment of it, is where the value lies. (Can I say it’s about the journey not the destination, or are we already too cliché?)
Doing things for fun is important. Adults need play, too.
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