This is a pointless post, but feel free to despair along (or tell me about your writing projects)

Heyo!

I feel like I haven’t heard from anyone on wordpress in pretty long. Are you guys still here? I hope you’re doing well.

Me? I’ve been frustrated, haunted by an unrelenting writing/ reading slump. The rest of my life has been chaotic and overwhelming, but in times of quiet I still feel desperately stagnant. I’m too busy to pick up a new hobby, and the very little free-time I have has been going into keeping my sanity intact. It’s a period that will pass along, so until then, I’ll keep my head up.

I’ve talked about this quite a few times here, but I miss having something major to work on, a big project or a long story, that, although challenging, does not confront me with the unbearable stress of my creative bankruptcy.

But what about you, reader? Is there a craft in your life that makes it a little easier to wake up in the morning?

45 thoughts on “This is a pointless post, but feel free to despair along (or tell me about your writing projects)”

  3. I write in the morning, mostly poetry. Since October, this craft has been one of my passions. After teaching for 40 years and retiring, I feel like my writing has awakened a long dormant desire to write.

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  5. I felt drained by overloaded work recently. Because work brings me money, and writing hasn’t. I always postpone it until I think “I have the time.” I tried to write in the diary every morning, but the long-term habit of staying up late easily dragged me back to my dreams after I pressed stop my annoying alarm clock. Even though I feel that I sometimes have good ideas for writing, they are usually forgotten, or the enthusiasm of writing them down fades away after procrastination. However, no matter how frustrated I have been, I just have to write, write and write.

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  6. I am currently working on two books that have very little to do with one another. I love them both like children, but I find myself without a clue where to go in either project. It’s not even daunting from the standpoint that “Oh shit, two projects!” it’s more that I am just lost. A bit left of any expression of creativity. Thank fuck I have two months worth of updates on auto-post or I would have absolutely nothing coming up.

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  7. I’ve not posted in months either, but it is always on my mind. I have two projects in progress: a short story and a creative non-fiction piece. Summer actives, travels, and family obligations have been my excuse. I feel that I’m regrouping as I recently graduated from University this past April. I’m in a now-what? stage. I even began a 200-word daily goal that I continued for a few weeks, but even that has been deserted. Big, long sigh. So, I hear ya.

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    1. My “now what?” Stage extended for too long, but I actually found my passion for writing during that period! My bsc had nothing to do with writing (except the dry, academic type). Congrats on graduating, I hope we both can set targets and stick to them 😅

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  8. I have a couple things. I run in the mornings (the app Zombies, Run! is extremely motivational, and I’m enjoying the story immensely) and obviously I write. I’ve got my novel, my podcast, the books I listen to through Audible. When I have time (which hasn’t happened in months) I’ll pick up my guitar or ASL lessons online.
    Trust me, you’re not alone. We appreciate what you post when you have the time. I appreciate that you think of us even when you don’t have the time. (I’m a little jealous of your following, but that’s my own lookout.) 🙂 Stay safe and keep going. We’ll be here when you’re ready to come back.

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    1. Wow, that’s incredible! I’ve fallen in love with podcasts lately, so much that I actually can’t fall asleep without them.

      On the following count: it’s just a number, the only thing that matters is who interacts with your posts among them. I’m very grateful, of course, but it makes it more depressing when a post of yours goes by unnoticed 😅

      Thanks for your wishes as well, I hope you’re having a great day 💫

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    1. It does! For me, it’s because writing is a very atmospheric hobby and I’m particular about when and where to write. I haven’t been able to find that setting lately 😅

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  10. I just started. Attempting to motivate myself to make writing normal again since I spent the last five years pretending to be a writer while really just being an alcoholic. So. Yes I also need to find a hobby or time but I spend all my time working a dead end job because the pay is good. But what’s the point? I barely know how to use this site so the quiet is somewhat nice at the moment.

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  11. I’m sorry to hear that you’re going through a rough patch at the moment. I hope it passes sooner rather than later.
    I’ve currently been working on a flash fiction collection and I mostly work on that in the morning before I begin work. I find it gets my day off to a good start.

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  12. The only solution I know to writer’s block is to just start writing words on the page – don’t judge them, don’t fix them, don’t go back and correct them – just write.
    As far as a hobby goes, I would do karaoke, but the rest of the household (and the neighborhood, most likely) would complain, so instead I put my earbuds in and whisper-sing to a 70’s Rock station on Amazon Music (it’s almost like karaoke – especially when it shows me the lyrics.)

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    1. Ohh you know what? I sometimes, while reading, think of phrases that could be woven into a story. Maybe just piling them onto a page then reorganizing the whole thing would work? Thanks for the tip!

      (That’s what I do, too, although with Rap)

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  13. My job is my favourite reason to wake up every morning. I create trainings for adults. It makes me feel that my life is meant to help people learn and become better at their jobs. And then I write tiny stories on my blog

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  15. I’ve recently felt a dullness within the nature of my writing, so I picked up an editing project for a friend of mine to progress the construction of her novel. I highly recommend editing another writer’s work, to free your mind of your own expectations for yourself and allow for inspiration to flow through the thought process of someone else. Editing is generous in offering unique perspective on the notion of imagination and the theme of creative instinct.

    I’m honestly surprised at how therapeutic the editing process has been for me, I suggest you give it a try. The best part is that you can revise at your own pace, with your own vision. But most of all, whatever you consider, listen to your 💗

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  16. I draw like making mandalas. I have made an art account to keep myself busy in doing something constructive. I like to write too sometimes. I also have boards on pinterest so to keep them updated I search relevant stuff. And also I like to read books. All of this stuff keeps me busy and makes me feel happy as this is something that I do solely by choice and there is no pressure ❤ I hope you are having a great day.

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  17. Hello! I’ve been following your blog for a little while, I still consider myself new to WP. I only post about 5 times a year because I, like others it seems, my passion for writing is a cruise ship with no propellers.
    I listen to music a lot when I can’t think or I take trips with friends. One of my favorite books is Ship of Fools by K. A. Porter, if I can sit down long enough.
    I am actually looking for a penpal, if you’re interested! I like taking simple premises and turning them into short pieces, sometimes that’s easier than my own ideas because the story isn’t being constructed alongside my expectations for it. It could be fun to pass prompts back and forth 🙂

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    1. Hey! Thanks for your comment. I’d be more than happy to be penpals (or have a writing buddy,) but we need to find a platform that supports messaging better than WP; what do you think?

      Ship of Fools! I haven’t read it yet, but it’s always intrigued me. I really like stories where a group of people from different backgrounds are put together as the story unfolds. Porter feels like the kind of author who includes a lot of underlying themes, so it’d be a good book to discuss.

      I have a feeling the language’s pretty complicated though. I’ll look for a sample and decide on whether or not to buy a copy.

      Thanks for the comment again 🙂

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  18. It would be a fun book to discuss! There’s no pressure on that though; I’ve been on page 300 for about 4 months. Luckily I can blame most of that on college, but I usually just rent a copy from the library, although they limit how many times in a row you can renew an item.

    I caught the end of an era, so the last pen pal I had sent me actual letters, bad cursive, stamps and everything. It was fun but I’m more than wiling to leave that in the past haha. Does WP not have a messaging system? We could try email? I have a contact page that’s connected to my email but I’m not sure if it is private. I think it is though!

    “This common predicament did not by any means make them fellow sufferers. On the contrary, each [traveler] chose to maintain his pride and separateness within himself. After ignoring each other for the first, feverish hours, there crept into eyes meeting unwillingly, for the twentieth time, a look of unacknowledged, hostile recognition. ‘So there you are again, I never saw you before in my life…'”
    K. A. Porter, Ship of Fools

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    1. I actually had a penpal not too long ago! I’d never met her, but she’s studying with my brother. She proposed that we use him as a courier to avoid the whole mail posting business (bc no one uses it where I live). It was fun!

      Checked your contact page. Couldn’t find your address, it was just a contact form. Not sure about wp’s messaging system; i have no access to my laptop atm. I dont mind wp, and maybe we can find a suitable instant messaging app?

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      1. I can’t figure out WP either. I’ve looked around the site, but it appears that unless we want to create posts and comment on them, there isn’t a way to communicate through it. Anyway! My email is hikari923@gmail.com.

        I also use whatsapp a lot, if you have that. Or groupme 🙂

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  19. My writing and my lack of writing, both come in spurts. Ideas are constantly buzzing around my head but at times they seem to vanish when i touch the keyboard. And sometimes newer ideas emerge when I am typing away. Like most things in life, its cyclical and in phases for me. I hope your drought ends soon and you’re back writing. Have loved whatever I have read of yours. Keep writing

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  22. Hi Maryam.
    I’m in a waiting period – waiting for Dorian (although I’m not in her path), waiting for results of a whole novel contest, waiting on knee surgery, waiting on family problems to mend…and forcing myself to write short stories in the waiting time. I’m afraid to start listening to podcasts to fall into addiction of wanting more, but I really want to listen to some. They are like walking into a library, looking at the shelf-filled room, and saying, “I wonder which book I’ll take out today?”

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    1. Hello! Thanks for passing by.

      Thats quite a lot of things to wait on. I hope it all works out for you. I’m impressed you’ve been trying to write! Everything I wrote during this period (which incidentally is a period of waiting for me too) ended up trashed or left incomplete.

      I think I’m addicted to podcasts; there are so many out there to listen to! I’m about to finish a podcast titled The Odyssey (exactly what you think it is) then I’ll venture off into other historical podcasts

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    1. I took a 3-week break from Twitter, and I gradually missed it less and less. Went back recently, though, cause I felt that I was missing out on so much. I wish it was possible to only see content you want on social media.

      (Thanks for the comment!)

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  24. I thought i will get mad when i didn’t do what i like for 30 minutes to at least 1 hour in a day. Even at night when i am back home from my work. Enjoy my small three (not yet called bonsai), do what i could do even just pinch one of unneeded branch. Just seeing them and imagine what it will be in the future, could make my enthusiasm up.

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  26. Not much, no.
    I have some hobbies that have taken form, such as drawing or writing.

    I’ve been repeatedly in a hiatus since my writing skills and communication skills have always been pretty bad. Having the idea but not being able to put it into words is frustrating, but it keeps me going.

    What I really like to do is to draw anything. Anything that comes to mind, I draw it.
    It’s the only way of putting my ideas into a physical, tangible and memorable form easily.

    Other than these two, I really like to read.

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  27. I hear people talk about writer’s block. Bullshit. I know the lack of desire to create, but it’s always on me. The muse is always out there waiting, it never leaves. The cosmic radio is always on, we just have it dialed in some days. Some days all we need is a kick in the pants. But there are no excuses. Sit down, tune in, listen. It will write itself if will only get out of the way.

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  28. G’day Maryam, I am surprised no-one has suggested a writers group to you. You read and listen a lot so I am sure you would be inspired by actual real-life contact with other writers – there’s bound to be one near you. Or if you prefer, join an online writers group. And don’t forget – by participating, you will inspire others too.

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    1. Hello! Thanks for your suggestion.
      I think that a writers’ group would be helpful, but I’m at such an unstable part of my life that I’m not sure a commitment like that would be efficient. I do casually chat with other writers online, though, but real-life contact is something that I would definitely over-think and stress about.

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