On Writing- So Far

A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people. ~ Thomas Mann (1875 - 1955)

 
Teaching has been something I long to do since I was 7 - and I wasn't surprised at all that after dipping my toes in several fields of work out of university, I started to teach.  The other thing that I have been longing to do since forever, however, is writing.

It surprises me that all these years, writing hasn't been a priority for me. Today is a Sunday, and since yesterday I have been studying some maths in preparation for my class on Tuesday. However, I have not allowed myself some time and space to write. This is as if I am telling myself that writing is not so important - that it can be pushed low down on my priority list.

Since I long to be writing fiction, it is also a surprise that since I started working 15 years ago, I haven't allowed myself to read a lot of fiction. It was always dry textbooks and journals, some blogs (although blogs are often delightful to read - definitely the ones I regularly read are not dry at all), newspapers - no wonder there is never enough "fiction juice" in my veins.

Surprises, surprises. A woman longing to be a writer, who does make writing a priority, and does not read enough. I imagine I am a bit like an aspiring athlete who never makes the time to train. Therefore, in conjunction to my last post about writing more, I have also resolved to read more fiction this year. My target is 12 fiction books, and so far I have finished - well, one book.

And, and: I have filled up my one old notebook pictured in the last blog post, and have started writing in my Moleskine. Still a long way to fill it up, though. But it is only February, and one should always stay optimistic.

If anything, I have always noticed that writing and reading (fiction) makes me happier. Resolving to write and read, I suspect, is my subconscious resolving to be happier this year.

Now off I am to write long-hand in my journal and read some fiction - despite the nagging feeling that I should do some preparation for next week's project at work, I guess I'll make my writing and reading a priority for a change.