On Monday, Ashley posted a challenge where she invited bloggers to join her as she spends the month of July challenging herself creatively. She didn’t give any strict parameters or put any restrictions for the month. The challenge is broad and vague but holds one key theme: creativity. You can challenge yourself through any means: photography, scrapbooking, writing, videos, blogging, design…whatever you want!
I’m taking on this challenge with her and other bloggers. I’ve been struggling for the longest time to get started on my novel, to stop wasting time and just write it. I’ve been so busy bouncing around other potential story ideas that would take months and months of research to even begin to get started that I’ve let this story lay stagnant for over a year. Maybe because the story is not as exciting as my other ideas, maybe because it means digging deep into Christianity and myself, maybe because it’s the only idea I’ve had that holds real weight and means this could become The Story one day. The Story that gets me published. The Story that turns me into an author.
For superstitious purposes, I don’t want to go into detail about what my story is about. For now, let me be vague: it centers around a girl, age 18, as she heads off to college, leaving the comforts of home for the very first time. The End. (Yep. That’s all I’m going to tell you about! Chew on that.)
My challenge is to begin the outlining process. While I read many writing blogs that give the pros and cons of outlining, I do believe I’m the type of writer who needs a strict outline. Whether or not my characters stick to the outline remains to be seen, but I do want to create an outline so I know what themes I want my story to be about, what struggles the character will face, and a basic overview of the plot.
Right now, all that’s sitting in my “College Girl” file on my desktop is a two-paragraph synopsis, a list of background information I need to write about, and some questions about the main character’s parents. (Are they high school sweethearts? Did they meet on a mission trip? Should I make her mother a different nationality than her father?) I really want to finish writing up all the background information and start outlining my novel. I don’t want to be too strict on myself and tell myself I have to have the entire process done, but I do want to at least have it started.
So there you have it. My Creativity Challenge for the month of July. Check out Ashley’s blog for more about the challenge and to join in. I’ll probably give weekly updates on my status and how the process is going. I hope you’ll join me!
Writing a book was something I really used to want to do. A great teen fiction novel, Megan McCafferty style. I've kind of lost interest in that though – it's not that I've forgotten totally what high school was like, it's more that I've put that behind me and don't care to revisit it. Maybe one day I'll find fresh inspiration.
Wow, writing a novel is big. I've always wanted to write a novel, but so far I don't really have any ideas. I hope that one day inspiration will hit me.
That challenge sounds really interesting! Maybe I'll give it a try. But for now I wish you the best of luck with yours!!
You go girl-can't wait to read it!
Way to go! I can't wait to see what you come up with by the end of July 🙂
Sounds like a good start! I have a couple novels I've written during NaNoWriMo that are in BAD need a editing and I keep putting that off. I know I need to get around to it. Kudos to you for working on this challenge!
Ooh, exciting! I've always wanted to write a book! It's really awesome you're taking the initiative!
What a great challenge for yourself! I wish you luck with your novel writing. I really need to take the initiative to get serious about this, too. I don't really have a concrete idea, though, so you're further along than I am!
Yay! So glad you're participating. I'm polishing up my outline now and my goal is to write the first four chapters this month.
I'm a writer – a blog writer, an article writer, I am not a novel writer! So good luck to you, I have no advice but I can't wait to see how the process goes for you. I hope that one day I am able to write a novel!
This sounds like a great idea. I love getting creative with stuff, I have some serious DIY projects I need to get cracking at this summer. But it's the perfect time to start writing your book, you seem to have an idea you really feel confident in, so go with it girlfriend! I wish you the best of luck and hope you get some great creative motivation to dive deep into the outlining process.