Thursday, December 14, 2017

My Super Power

After 30+ days of writing at least 2,000 words a day, I now have a real-life first draft that I can rip apart and completely change. 

It seems a little unreasonable that I'm so happy about that, but that's the writing life. 

I had a lot of wonderful people help watch my kids so I could have writing time, but a big chunk of my writing was done late at night, after the kids were in bed, fueled by caffeine and the natural high that writing gives me. 

I thought that, after a month, I would be exhausted, ready to throw my computer into a wall and never look at my draft again. But, you know, the first night after I finished, as I got the kids to bed, I found myself looking forward to those quiet, thrilling hours of writing. And then I remembered, with disappointment, "Oh, I'm done."

Writing every day has become a habit, and when I told Mr. Brown Eyes that I wanted to keep up with it, he said, "I think you should. I've noticed you've been happier since you started."

It reminded me of the Grisha from Leigh Bardugo's amazing Shadow and Bone trilogy (if you haven't read it, I seriously recommend it. So good). They're born with these unnatural abilities--super powers, if you will--but if they don't use them, they become sickly and weak, a shell of their true selves. 

I've discovered that writing is my super power. When I'm not writing on a regular basis, I don't feel completely me. And when I write, I feel strong. Maybe not lift-a-train-over-my-head strong, but capable, happy, and overjoyed with the chance I have to make writing my life. 

What's your super power?

Love,
The Brown-Eyed Girl