Take Erasive Action

So lately I've been thinking how I should get back into writing. Like short stories and things... keep up my chops. I used to use this blog here to keep those creative chops alive, but I really just spiraled into passages of intimacy so far abstracted from the reader that most likely only I understood what I was talking about. I never felt comfortable as a writer, and maybe this was the cause of me hiding my words in such flowery prose. Another thought crosses my mind: maybe I simply think too much and the ideas that spring forth are too personal for me to actually feel safe sharing with possibly the whole world. And thus I veiled my thoughts with metaphors and allusions to magicians and vikings. Most likely it was a combination of these two things. No, not a combination of magicians and vikings (there's a thought!), but a combination of insecurities as a writer and my reservations about revealing my ponderings to the user.

But a new year is upon us, and a change is overdue! After all, how can I expect a good discourse when I give nothing away to you to discourse about? There, I've done it a second time, breaking the preposition rule! I read in a book recently that sometimes you just have got to ignore that rule. I used to stick to it like a glove sticks to another glove that someone glued to it with superglue. But then that sentence would read "After all, how can I expect a good discourse when I give nothing away to you about which to discourse?" and then it becomes ugly and obvious. You'd simply stop there and close this page, thinking to yourself: "This guy can go fuck himself. Seriously."

But back to my point about getting back into writing. Short stories always used to be fun. I used to write them all the time back in high school. In college, not so much as I had friends to do things with (<---). I took a few creative writing classes to try to keep in the habit, and I churned out a few stories about zombies. But as of late I've been thinking about it more, and if I want to get serious about it I need to practice.

Reading could also help. I really really love stories, but I don't read enough. It's such a chore to begin a book. As a creative individual I prefer to create instead of actively absorb into someone else's works. That is not to say that I do not enjoy the latter. I enjoy movies and music immensely, especially those with wonderful stories and emotions. So why would it be any different with books? I have a bookshelf half-full of unread books I'm sure I'd enjoy. Perhaps I view it as research and that makes it less appealing. That's just how my mind works and I am turned off from the fact of it. But I need to learn. I need to improve. I know I am not the best writer and I've only so many years left to prepare. I have stories to tell the world. And if I expect them to listen, I'd better have damn good chops. Or at least an interesting voice.