Hey guys! Happy 23rd day of quarantine. At least I think it’s day 23… Not sure. These past few days have gone by in a blur!
I’ve been throwing myself into my writing training, which involves: writing at least 4 hours a day on my book; reading and outlining short stories, novels, and memoirs (paying attention to language, dialogue, how scenes are constructed, and outline of story/novel); taking a creative writing class online on Coursera; watching masterclasses by famous writers like Judy Bloom, Margaret Atwood and James Patterson; reading about writing; vocab development training; and listening to the New Yorker Fiction podcast.
I know I’m riding the wave of initial intense passion that comes from starting on a new exciting project. Training won’t always be this easy. I know that as time goes on, my motivation levels may decrease, whilst my level of frustration may increase. That’s where self-discipline kicks in. I must train my mind to be strong. It helps tremendously that I have a competitive athlete’s background, because honestly, being a writer takes the stamina and focus of an athlete. You need a lot, a lot of self-discipline to become a published author. And even more so to become a successful one.
I wake up each morning with a purpose. I dread going to sleep because it tears me away from my craft. It’s been a wild ride… but this whole process has also grounded me. Honestly, being in quarantine has been nothing short of paradise. It opened an opportunity to be creative and focus whole-heartedly on my craft. Strange as this may sound, but I wish we could be in quarantine for longer (though who knows, we might be).
But anyway, I must get back to work. I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow (or maybe in a few days… we’ll see)!
-Belicia
Teenage Struggles 