My Return

First, I'd just like to say that, like in the Monty Python, "I am not yet dead."

Yes, I know I've been away from this blog for ages, but there were many reasons for that. Reasons which, if I were to put them all down, would likely bore you to death. As I wouldn't want to be charged with homicide, accidental or otherwise, I'm going to skip that portion of my return party.

Suffice to say: I thought about just letting this blog thing fall to the wayside permanently, but have since decided to attempt resuscitation—if it be possible.

Now then, we can move on to subjects of import—or lack of import, depending on how you look at it. (passes out appropriate paper-and-ink party hats and bacon)

Story Crafting (Or: This is the part where I bore you with what I've been up too.)

Recently, I haven't been writing much—at least as far as word counts are concerned. A pithy thousand words a week I now consider a triumph. And yet, with my current WiP—Work in Progress, for all you non-writers that might stumble across this blog—I feel like that is enough. This is because I've changed my approach.

Once upon a time, I wrote what I thought was cool without paying much mind to the craft; now, though, I've begun to explore forms, to find my own limits and push them in a pursuit of mastery. (I hope that last doesn't make me sound like a maniacal villain)

Which brings us back to my current WIP. It is very unlike my vanilla projects of the past, which were past tense and third person limited (sometimes first person, I'm not that much of an extremely limited newb), written with the intention to market. I have shunned that form (temporarily) to explore present tense with two viewpoints—one of which is first, the other third.

This form is proving to be challenging but exciting. It is so unlike anything else I've ever attempted; there is something almost fay about it. I'm exploring the ways in which two viewpoints can foreshadow and feed off of each other, experimenting with dropping the tension in one as it rises in the other, and playing around with language. (When to use cliches, and when not to. Descriptions. Creating phrases unique to the world—that sort of thing. I'm not Tolkien; I don't invent languages.)

This all sounds sickeningly literature like, now that I think about it; and I certainly wouldn't have even dreamed of doing something like this eight months ago. But it's a good exercise, and extremely fun. And gritty post-apocalyptic-noir-sci-fi to boot. So i'll take it as proof that I'm growing as a writer.

What about you, doing anything different? Ever get that urge to experiment, but don't? If you haven't yet, I strongly suggest you give it a try. Let your imagination run free. Because doing different things is refreshing sometimes.

Go mbeannaí Dia duit,
M. S.

Skill

is what separates the master and the novice. Wikipedia defines it as "the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results." Skill is learned, and it is honed with the sharpest wheel of all—Time. The more hours you pour into something, the better you'll become.

This is seen quite clearly in mock sword fights between my siblings. My eldest brother, handily beats me whenever we clash practice blades—only rarely do I score a hit on him. Many hours spent in training have given him the ability to deconstruct my defenses with ease.

Yet, there's one brother I'm able to defeat when wielding a sword in my off hand and munching an apple with my primary. Why? Because he doesn't practice, his swings are wild and uncontrolled; his form almost nonexistent.

When you're new to something, you aren't going to be good at it (unless you have natural talent, you lucky person). You can fail easily, and those failures either strengthen your resolve to learn, or they break you. Sometimes, you don't even begin for fear of failure. Your greatest enemy is yourself.

But if you can muster the strength and passion to begin, if you can clench that strength and persevere— then you'll acquire skill. Anything can be achieved with time. You might never become a grandmaster, but you don't know how high you can rise until you try.

I think this is true in everything we aspire to, whether it be martial arts, writing, baking, acting, parkour, gymnastics, drawing, painting, carving, etc. So don't let the fear of beginnings, the lack of skill stop you. Go forth, and know that skill will come with time spent in practice.

Go mbeannaí Dia duit,
M. S.

P.S. Wow, is it really midnight? No wonder I'm so loopy :)