Writing: Getting Back Into the Habit

When I was younger, I played the piano.  I calculated the total the other day and realized I spent about 2000 hours total in the span of three years practicing, either at home or at lessons. And this went on every single day.  Looking back, I feel sorry for my parents having to listen to me pound on the piano, especially during my creative phase - when I was determined that I was going to write my own song.  Fast forward a few years, and I barely remember how to play.  I have most of the Christmas songs burned into my brain and I can rack up the perfect scores on Brain Age 2's Piano Player Hard Mode, but if you were to ask me to read music now and immediately start playing, you'd get laughed at.  School, sports, and work cut down my piano time to zilch and I forgot how to play.

The same applies to writing.  I used to write everyday.  It wasn't always on my book, as sometimes it'd be a poem, or a funny story.  After a collection of incidents, I stopped writing altogether.  After the major "incident" was resolved, I started back.  I've written bedtime stories for little kids, legends for elementary school kid's projects, and the random weirdness.  I also kept a heavily updated blog devoted to my favorite game.  It was hard getting into the process, but I finally managed it.

It's been much harder this time.  After I dislocated both my wrists, I was unable to write without pain for about 6 months, and it still hurts from time to time.  I'm currently working full time, going to school, and have an unholy love for video games.  Writing fell to the side for the longest time because  I always had an excuse.  Now it's time to call myself out.

Excuse 1:  I can't write at work.  I used to give myself a pass for this one, because I work on the phones.  I can't talk and write at the same time.  And lunch is used for ... well, lunch.  However - I have two 15 minute breaks that I do nothing with.  That's 30 minutes of writing.

Excuse 2: I have no ideas.  I have a very fat notebook that is with me at all times that is bursting full of ideas. This excuse sucks, Mel!

Excuse 3: I'm too tired!  But not to tired to play Bingo on Facebook or World of Warcraft?  Suck it up!

Excuse 4: I can't think of how to write this.  The best advice I have ever been given was "You can't edit a blank page."  It doesn't matter if what you write is completely nonsensical drivel.  Write it down, because it can be changed later.

Excuse 5: But my wrists hurt!  I'm sure that Terry Goodkind complained when he was writing the Sword of Truth series, too, but you still were impatient and whining that you needed a new book to read. Get to writing!

Now that I've finished calling myself out - I have started writing everyday again.  Sometimes, it's only 200 words or 2 sentences... other times it's 5,000 words because I suddenly became entertained in developing a world.  I do leave one little piece of advice for aspiring writers.  It might not be a lot, or the best thing you can think of - but it helped me.

If you're trying to get back into the habit of writing, tell your friends.  They'll make sure to keep you on the right track.  If you don't get to talk to your friends everyday, join a writing group.  You'll meet people just like you and together you can give each other a boost.