More Than I Can Chew?

It's been a busy week. Among other things, I've started a writing class and I'm definitely feeling a leetle bit out of my depth. Not least because several of them have actually written books and are now in the process of editing (yikes!), but also in terms of the actual process of writing fiction.

Because I haven't actually written any fiction since, Oh primary school probably, and I'm not sure that I still have it in me, or if it were even ever there in the first place. Or maybe it IS still in there somewhere, and I just can't seem to put my hand on it at the moment. But maybe if I do find it, it might still work if I just tinker around with it for a while?

I just don't know. I know that I DO love to write, and I never seem to have any problem whittering on about whatever frivolous topic I happen upon on any particular day,  but whether or not I can translate that questionable ability into writing half decent fiction.... I simply don't know. And the bottom line is, and I'm just going to go and put all my cards on the table....I'm terribly afraid of failing. I mean, what if all I can produce is complete and utter shit?

Thankfully, before I allowed this self defeating naval gazing to spiral any further, I had a stern word with myself and concluded that yes, I may be on a different part of this writing  journey than my fellow classmates, but that's sure as hell not a reason to give up. Nor are the scary 1000 word homeworks which I may or may not have time to complete on a weekly basis. But if I  take the time and effort to begin  and develop a few characters, that may actually be enough for now.

Because although writing fiction is an entirely different genre  from blogging, surely there's gotta be some skill overlap?  Take the skill of observing people and situations for instance, also known as generally being a nosy cow- I excel at this and that's a God given talent people! I just need to make it multitask.

Also,  I've discovered Anne Lamott's wonderful book 'Bird by Bird' which is calming my fears, and helping me realise that everyone who writes is panic stricken most of the time, and therefore what I'm feeling is entirely normal. In fact, her chapter entitled 'Shitty First Drafts' is so legendary that it's on the syllabus of most writing programs worldwide.
'Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.'
Thank God (and Anne Lamott!) for that!

Anyway,forgive me, because that's quite enough whinging-it's Friday and a beautiful Autumn evening and that's excuse enough for this little gem. (Thank you Christopher!)  It's straight from the Gaeltacht and makes me proud to be Irish....and sure yer man's not half bad looking either...for a wee lad! Have a good one my lovelies xxx