You may have noticed that I have been writing a lot of Haiku’s lately. I am no poet, but I like the simplicity and brevity of a Haiku. I like the structure too. A Haiku is basically a three-line poem that follows a 5 syllable, 7 syllable, 5 syllable structure, ideally using some aspect of nature as the subject matter. I find I am most at peace in nature and when I force myself outdoors, I will write a Haiku about anything that gives me pause.
Why? Well, writers are supposed to write, no? I think that it is pretty clear from this blog that I am a sporadic writer at best and constructing a Haiku makes me feel like I am at least honing some creative skill – if not pounding away at the Great American novel. It is that simple. I am not convinced that what I am doing is at all productive but I like the challenge of forcing my inspiration into seventeen syllables. It fits with my hectic lifestyle.
As far as my Great American novel goes, a first draft is done. It has been done for a while. It has also been professionally edited. I received some great advice which has led me to an idea that is an essentially a complete overhaul of the story. That will take time and much forethought and planning, something I do not have the mental energy to tackle at the moment. Consequently, I have decided to put that project on hold until I have a bit more time to dedicate to the task. I want to be able to live and breathe the story, so that all the elements come together seamlessly as a cohesive whole. To do that will require a significant amount of headspace, one that my professional life will not allow anytime soon. However, I do want to continue writing practice but under less pressure and more for fun and, more importantly, building a steady writing practice. I need to get into a writing groove, and that does not include the arduous task of editing my own original work.
What is to be done then? Fan fiction! I know, I know, you are rolling your eyes. But remember, this is not for publication, this for practice. I am a Science Fiction/ Fantasy superfan so I decided to write about the Star Wars sequel character Rey. She had a strong introduction in “The Force Awakens” but her story fizzled to the preposterous by the end of the trilogy. Can I write an interesting story about Rey that makes her the star of her own tale? Will she have agency? Who knows, but I so do like a challenge!
In case you were wondering, the lovely girl in this picture is not really a reflection of me. I just liked the feeling of optimistic desperation that I imagine lies behind that happy smile. Or maybe I am just projecting…
I am embedding the link to my work in progress below. Feel free to click if you are curious! If not, I am sure I will have another Haiku up my sleeve soon!
I love how you see writing fan-fiction as practice. I myself think that the things you ‘practice’ on usually end up being much better than the pieces you actually work hard at. Wishing you the best either way!
Thanks for the kind words! I am all for anything that inspires or at least helps motivate to write regularly.