Writing Without Writing

G'day, I hope you're well. I'm busy melting as we're in the thick of Summer, Down Under. I wish I could tell you I've been busy writing away but I'm afraid that's not the case.
The heat does tend to slow me down, but much more than that I've been busy with an online "Employability Skills Training" course. It's a mandatory, virtual, three-week program that started in January, so I've been focussing on that rather than story-writing for the past week. All I have to say about it is that the course is kind of dull and frustrating, but the facilitators do an excellent job of humanizing it and making the modules tolerable.

But I have wanted to write. I've been craving it for a while. You wouldn't know this, but I've actually started work on a novel and I'm right in the thick of it... (I know I'm reusing metaphors, but it's hot, alright? give me a break). I completed chapter one at the end of 2024, and I've had it on hold since then, because I have to focus on this course, and if I write I don't study, and it's bloody frustrating!

However, I've noticed something over the past week. See, I'm not writing, but I'm still writing. I've said it before, not all writing is writing, as the blog post in that link will attest, writing requires a sturdy foundation of research, plotting and planning. I used to refer to it as "the two-thirds", because of something J.K. Rowling said, but these days, I refer to it as the understory. Firstly, because J.K. Rowling said it and fuck that bitch - trans rights are human rights.
But secondly, as I've matured I've realized that it's bad writing to write more than double the story of your book and do so much research if it doesn't appear in the books. A recipe can be overcooked; a garden can be overgrown; a performance can be overacted; and you better believe it sweetheart when I say a story can be overwritten.

So, I've been unable to physically write but because I want to write so much I've been writing a lot of understory. I didn't realize how much I was doing it until I decided that a good outlet was to write a blog post and I looked back on the past week and change.
See, in the last week...

1. I was going for a walk, when I was thinking about that novel I'm working on. I can't tell you much about it, but all you need to know is I'm planning on it being a horror story all about the main character being kind of a monster. I've had some ideas for a sequel, but the plot hinged on people seeking out the protagonist because of a much worse threat they had to face. I had some idea they would be a monster, like the main character, but I wasn't sure if that was possible. But, as I was walking around, looking at some of the brick fences around me, I was inspired... I had an idea of a way to make a hero that was just as dangerous as the protagonist, in a new way. I won't spoil, but believe me when I say He's one Bad Dude.
   
2. I was watching a show before bed (Star Trek, if you're curious) when I was inspired by a quick scene that made me think about "sci-fi tools" and I started thinking about different ideas for the fascinating tools for Duke Forever. I came up with a few, then had to rewind the episode, because I had stopped paying attention fifteen minutes ago.
3. I was thinking about ideas for an "electronic" epistolary novel, told through online interactions. It's an idea I've been toying with for a while, but I realized that such a story could only work if the plot was focussed on the computer or internet, itself. And that inspired me to consider the different kinds of story that could be told online. Perhaps an online murder mystery, where the clues are on different online discussion forums? Or, perhaps a kind of multimedia creepypasta? I came up with an idea I like, but I won't spoil it, you'll have to wait until I write it...
   
4. Just the other day, as part of my online course, we were discussing group projects that we were doing when someone mentioned their project was boring, and I got really annoyed.
   Because we chose the project. Sure, a sausage sizzle or a fun run can be boring, but why not mix it up? ... say that Godzilla attacked your city and you need to organize a crisis centre - that's more fun, right? The stated purpose is to show that we can plan organize & budget a project, then present it—it doesn't have to be real, just realistic, and our facilitators are pretty cool, I think they'd love it.
   Then, I started thinking about the actual logistics of it for a minute before getting back on track - it was kind of fun, if I'm honest.
5. I realized that I still hadn't planned my "big, bad monster" for my SoloRPG story that I mentioned in my last post, but my issue was that I felt the idea of a single monster that I know beforehand would make it less intimidating. That's when—inspired by the Godzilla crisis centre idea, from before—I came up with an idea. I don't want to spoil that either since it's something you can read. But, I will give you a hint... I call it The Hole.

And these are the major ones, I'm not even mentioning the number of little notes I've made about character name ideas, story titles and (of course) the ideas that I considered, only to decide they were bad ideas...

But, it made me realize two things. First of all, I underestimate how much understory work I do. When I stop writing entirely and it's all I have, it's actually an awful lot. I'm doing more now that usual, about twice as much, but even cut in half, this is a lot of work.
Second of all, making progress as a writer isn't just about wordcount. Obviously, if you never put words to paper, that's an issue that you should address. However, as someone with chronic anxiety and a mind that likes to dig into my weak points, I sometimes do feel like I'm "failing as a writer" because I don't write enough. It's a pointless, vicious cycle that makes me too stressed to plan, then I write even less. But, looking back on the past week, even though I know for a fact that I haven't written a single extra word in my Work-In-Progress manuscript, and yes, I am still frustrated about that... I don't feel like I'm failing as a writer. Maybe that's because I have an external Excuse to point to, so I know it's not my fault but I think it's more than that... I don't feel like I'm not writing. I feel like I'm writing, because by doing all this I'm thinking like I'm writing. And, because of that mindset, I'm actually working on even more understory than usual.

So, this isn't just about me bragging that I've done so much understory in one week. No, it's my advice to you: If you're not writing, but you want to, think like a writer. Think like you're writing and... well... you might just put some words on a page.

I'm the Absurd Word Nerd and Until Next Time TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS.
That wasn't the point of this post, but I think it bears repeating, so don't you forget it...