Being stuck in a rut is one of the goals. To begin with, I need a rut, big enough to cause agony. Then, I need a solution, a way to get out of that rut. However, in my case, that rut seems to be more than I can handle. I seem to be stuck in it for a frustratingly long time before I could see the light of day. When I was taking the Writing for Children’s Magazine course with the Institute of Children’s Literature, I remember being very wary and nervous about attempting to write fiction. The course lets you do both, but did ask which one you would rather ’specialize’ in.
I told my instructor I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to focus in, so she told me to try both and see which one I was more inclined to. So I did. I enjoyed non fiction a lot, probably because I love researching and reading up on new things. My dabbling in fiction however, was a different experience. It wasn’t as ‘easy’ as non fiction, because in non fiction, I simply do the research, come up with an interesting angle, have the information laid out, and I’m ready to write. In fact, it was enjoyable’ enough, that I managed to get in two pieces in Fandangle’s October 2007 issue.
With fiction however, I have to be the ‘creator’, come up with a problem or more, figure out how to resolve that conflict, and then write while trying to make it as interesting as possible. I don’t consider myself a natural storyteller, but when I did come up with a few fiction pieces, one of which did end up getting published in Fandangle’s June 2007 issue, I was ecstatic. The work wasn’t easy (finishing a fiction piece), but when I did complete it, it was thoroughly gratifying, to say the least. I also have another fiction piece from that course that is still sitting in my pendrive waiting to be fiddled with. I also wrote up a piece that I entered in the Islamic Foundation Annual Competition (which is now, I believe, discontinued), and it was shortlisted. I was elated beyond belief when I received an email and a letter inviting me to the event, which of course I couldn’t attend. I didn’t win, but being shortlisted was more than enough for me, considering my struggle with writing fiction.
However, I have quite given up on writing fiction, since it does seem to drain me, and while other fiction writers seem to enjoy the process, I have to admit that I don’t have that kind of patience for it, though I really wish I do. Nevertheless, reading Jan Field’s article ‘Embrace the Conflict‘ perks me up. Throughout the course, I was imbued with the feeling, ‘I can do this!’. After reading Jan’s article, I suddenly find myself contemplating taking up fiction writing again. Do I dare get myself in a rut again?
