Finding the right way to write (Part 1)...

When should I write? How should I write? What should I write?

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Although I love writing and write fairly frequently, I often wonder if my approach is the right approach and whether or not I sometimes "bite off more than I can chew"!

I love all types of writing but as a result of this, I tend to be a little ambitious with the number of my writing projects! Currently, I am writing an Edinburgh Fringe Show, a second collection of poetry and photography, a collection of short stories, a nonfiction book (with a fellow writer and good friend) and try to keep a blog! I sometimes feel like I'm doing a lot but none of them well... I also wonder whether I'm spreading myself too thin and should just find my niche and then stick myself in that box!

However, I don't want to... Throughout my entire life, I've felt this immense pressure to find my identity, my box and stay inside of it! But that isn't how life works, that isn't how people work, that isn't how true writing works. We are all multi-faceted and I believe that one person can be many things and that is something that should be celebrated- we are not 2D individuals. We change, we evolve, we can be one thing and many other things all at the same time: a contradiction in terms.

My debut collection of poetry consisted of many pieces that explored many serious topics; I wanted it to be raw and honest. The short stories that I write fall under literary fiction: a glimpse into a character's narrative without offering any real denouement. And my Fringe Show will (hopefully) be comedic spoken word! I sometimes wonder if I should find a writing identity that is marketable and solid: something that sells! But then wouldn't that go against the points that I seek to make in my work? Anything I write strives to portray the messiness and imperfections of human existence... I'm not trying to find solutions or answers. Sometimes there aren't any and that is okay.

It has been a while since I wrote any form of comedy so naturally I have felt a little "impostor syndrome". However, I am trying to push through that and I relish this new challenge. And to be honest, the more time I spending writing it, the easier it begins to feel. I also think that any new challenge is a chance to develop as a writer and it is so important to keep stepping outside of the cosy comfort zone...

I am going to enjoy exploring these different types of writing, these different dimensions of my writing identity and relish the challenges they bring. I don't fit into a box. I cannot be categorised. I am many different things in one and I love that!

In Part Two I will share some of my writing tips for getting started, continuing, overcoming the dreaded "writer's block" or pushing through those moments of self-doubt.

Thank you for reading my blog and hopefully see you soon!

xxx