October IWSG 2019

September Goals

✗ WORK ON CHRISTMAS PRESENT! (It has to be completed by October.)

✓ Look at the budget. (Again.)

✓ Write an email to my employer.

✓ Work on NOLA trip.

✗ Go ice skating at least once. (I've been afraid since I fell.)

Additional Successes

• Bought tires and put them on.

• Worked through some decisions regarding travel.
• Learned almost 100 French words as well as gaining a general idea of conjugation and sentence structure. I can count to 100 in French!

October Goals

– Finish Christmas present.
– Put summer 2020 plans into a Google map. Research.
– Buy a birthday card.

IWSG Question –– It's been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read are that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don't enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

I feel like you can't be a good writer if you don't read. How will you improve your skills if you don't compare yourself to others? And beyond that, who says you aren't incorporating others' ideas even if you don't read? I feel like there is more than one way to take in ideas.

Reading is about growth. It's about taking in knowledge, whether you are reading fiction or nonfiction. You are gaining vocabulary, learning sentence structure, being asked to think about particular topics in new ways. Every time you read, you learn something new.

You may not enjoy reading. It may not be something you like to do for fun. But if you don't read at all, I don't see how you can grow as a writer. Mindless practice only gets you so far.

Inspiration/Realization

A few thoughts for when you are struggling –

1. Try learning something new. Take a class. Do something you've never done before. It can get you out of a rut.

2. When you need downtime, take it. Allow others to help you. We can't all be on 100% of the time.
3. Allow yourself to try something you enjoyed in the past. Indulge in something stupid that makes you happy. Read a book you loved as a child. Watch a tv show you were obsessed with as a teen. Listen to music from your favorite moments in life.
4. Buy a new dress. Wear it when you feel crappy. It can improve your mood and make you feel good about yourself. (Though I have no qualms about getting nice clothes dirty or wrinkled. If I'm not going to wear them, why buy them?)
5. Do something you are good at. Play video games. Paint a picture. Cook a delicious meal. It can improve your confidence and give you a temporary boost that may help you get back on track.

Your Turn

Do you think the enjoyment of reading is necessary to be a good writer? Do you think you can somehow avoid incorporating others' ideas into your writing? If so – I'd love to hear how!

How do you get out of a writing rut? Or get past a lack of confidence with regards to your writing? Have you ever used any of my ideas successfully? Do you have any other ideas you could share with me?