Finding My Joy In Writing

#WIPjoy is a hashtag that Bethany A. Jennings, aka @simmeringmind, has created on twitter. It is a simple, month-long tag that allows authors to post about their Works in Progress. That is all it is. Sure it provides guidelines about what to post each day, and some of the questions aren’t questions I’d normally ask myself.

I couldn’t be more grateful for it.

I am writing a book, but lately have been incredibly busy. When I saw this hashtag pop up, I thought I’d participate. In doing so, I found something that I have been lacking when it comes to this novel.

Joy. I had lost my joy in this particular novel.

Why had I lost it? Simple. I focused on other things that were more important at the time, didn’t talk to anyone about it, didn’t read back over it… I just ignored it when I wasn’t writing it. Terrible idea.

Posting lines and ideas from this novel, and having people comment or retweet or even simply like these things is just so encouraging. It is encouraging for me to pull the concept for a character and be reminded that it’s a good concept. It is encouraging to find a line and realize that this book can emotionally affect even its creator. All of this has happened in the past week and a half. All because I’m searching my own work and allowing others to see the potential I saw when I started.

So thank you, twitter people. Thank you, #WIPjoy. And thanks to all those that I’m going to start talking to about my story. Anything that sounds interesting to you is another reason to keep going.

See you around!

-Kyle