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big F Fiction

I am scared of writing Fiction.  Terrified.  I confess this to you because I feel it may be a minor hiccup in writing my novel (see previous, previous post).  I liken it to singing in front of large groups of people and crossing non-suspension, medium height bridges. 

for the love of God, child, run faster!
Blogging is only sort of scary.  Sure, I am putting myself out there, but it's just me.  It's how I talk if I took an hour and a half to say three paragraphs and I got to edit each word.  It's pretty much just like hanging out if I was the only one who ever got to talk and my thoughts were the only ones that mattered.  Fun for all. 

But Fiction.  Fiction is different.  Fiction is investing in the part of you that dares to dream and opening it up for all to judge.  Yipes.  Over the last several years I've scaled back on giving my dreams a voice.  It's tough times for hopes and wishes and I'm afraid I've become a bit of a hoarder.  Which is all the more reason I think I need to do this.   The last piece of fiction I actually finished was "Shadow's Life." It was inspired by true events and placed first in Glen Carbon Elementary's Young Authors Contest of 1994. 

So I will embark on Fiction Friday.  Each week, I will write for 30 minutes and post it.  For all (12 of you, now) to see.  Each week will be different and beyond spell check I won't edit it.  This last bit will be both my wings and my tether.  To not edit is, in equal parts, more and less scary.  It will no doubt be a disclaimer for sucky writing, which I will cling to like Rose to her driftwood should you offer the slightest hint of constructive criticism. 

"I'll never let it go"
Kidding.  (OK, perhaps no, but give it to me anyway.)  But it is also a release to simply write without (too much) thinking.  I have some pretty amazing friends which makes me think the judgment I'm fearing most comes from within.  To not edit is to silence that part of me that will always think it's not good enough.  Worst case, 10 people quit following my blog (family isn't allowed to quit).

And so, in honor of embracing my creativity, facing my fears, and giving voice to my dreams, I leave you with something someone else said:
"Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood from on your forehead."  Gene Fowler
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