I am so glad to see that others who write have their unconscious hangups! Thank you all who answered my query.
I used to be a “like” person…as in “her thoughts were like oatmeal..” I got over that only to adopt “as if”, like “It was as if he had lived before.” Good lord. I had to find and replace just to find all the repeated lame phrases I wrote.
Same with semi-colons. I dread finding other hangups.
Wonder if you’re in the same boat? Make a list of common mistakes and see if you made any of them. It’s hard, I know. Too many adjectives? Too much movement? Too many repetitions of the same word? Too many !’s and ; and …?
That’s what’s great about writing. You get an idea…it doesn’t even have to be a full idea. It can be someone who struck you as unusual, a spot on your walking or driving route, a dream you had…anything can spark a story. I jut watched an old Twilight Zone the other night and enjoyed the storyline so much I might give a short story a try based on it.
Don’t worry if you’re stealing someone else’s idea, a TV show or book premise, or poem. You are not stealing anything unless you rewrite it word for word. Idea for idea. But let outside influences influence you. Try a poem based on characters in a play or movie. Try a short story about what happens AFTER the TV show is over.
Your mind is unique — and so are you. Your life’s stories, ups and downs, and encounters are all you need to get that pen writing (or computer keys clicking).
I want to encourage all of you who want to write to write. If you don’t want someone to read it, write in a journal. If you want input, ask someone. Easy to say, harder to do. But if you’ve got that writing bug inside of you (makes me think of the Mummy and all those beetles inside that guy), let it come out. Don’t be afraid to try. You can only get better with practice.
You see…I’m still practicing. And using Crissouli’s downfall…ellipses…