noctuary: (absinthe)
noctuary ([personal profile] noctuary) wrote2011-06-05 02:15 pm
Entry tags:

A Sigh and a Smile

Sometimes I look at what other people take from prompts, and I feel like I don't have any imagination. Whatever they come up with always seems to much more rich and interesting and original. Then I look at myself and think myself a poor writer - "what sort of a writer has talent with words, but no imagination??" and get mopey and depressed. With non-prompty,-non-writing-exercisey short stories, I tend to have trouble coming up with ideas at all.... Short stories in themselves are difficult, because of twist endings and implied meanings and so on, but I like the freedom of construction and function they can sometimes present. They're exciting to do.

Today I took a prompt and did something I consider Interesting. That, along with my okay-idea-but-poor-execution drabble from the day before yesterday, make me think this collection of exercises could turn into a trove from which to pull ideas and concepts and drafts to shape into proper short stories one day in the future, when I feel the need to craft one and can't think of an idea. The little purple leather-bound book (jasart, pretty, soft, nice to hold and have but not the most satisfying to write in) I've been writing these things in is slowly turning into a trove. Not a treasure trove as such because there's going to be a lot of dross in there too. But a bible of ideas and possibilities for the future.

It's exciting, and I like that. I just have to keep up the scribbling of exercises and prompts, and allow myself to be truly free with whatever I scribble, because it doesn't have to be perfect or even good for me to use it for something great in the future.

Post a comment in response:

This account has disabled anonymous posting.
(will be screened if not validated)
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting

If you are unable to use this captcha for any reason, please contact us by email at support@dreamwidth.org