28 March 2009

New direction?

I haven't posted in a long time because I haven't really had much to post--I created this blog with the intention of reviewing and discussing novels, plays, short stories, etc, but I don't really have time to read right now. When I read anything, I read with a pencil, and all of my books are abused beyond recognition. I wouldn't enjoy reading any other way, but it is very time consuming. I've got nine classes this semester, I'll be taking another two online over the summer and then eight again in the fall, so my plate is pretty full.

Still, I miss this. What little I've written on here, I have enjoyed, but I have no desire to create an online journal (see my cyberbulling entry for a little more of my opinion on things of that nature). I want to write, and I want to write NOT about my life....

...so I'm thinking of taking this blog in a new direction. In lieu of reviews and critiques, I think I'll start posting creative pieces. It seems to be that it would be a great way to think through things, and posting online means that I don't have to see any actual initial reactions to my pieces. People can comment if they'd like, but they most certainly don't have to.

I haven't written creatively in a long time, but I recently had to have a piece for my Secondary Writing Instruction class. I ended up being happier with it than I anticipated; like most others, I am very critical of my own work. Even better, the professor was happy with it--I didn't get full points on the piece, but she suggested on the front page that I consider publishing it one day.

That blew me away. It intrigued me as well. The problem, however, is that I could barely show that piece to my friends and peer editing review group, let alone attempt to publish it in a magazine or journal or (gulp) book. That sort of judgment on something so personal absolutely terrifies me. My piece is my piece, and I don't want anyone telling me it's not good enough.

Then I had an idea--this could be a nice starting point for me. I'm not delusional enough to think that people actually keep up with my blog (especially after I abandoned it for so long), but I think just posting pieces will help me get used to letting them go out into the dangerous world.

I'm still scared--I'm not going to lie--because so often I write things that I am afraid to say. In my creative piece for the class I mentioned above, I confronted my parents about every viewpoint we don't share. Once that's on the internet, there's no taking it back. Anyone can see it, steal it....man that's scary.

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