Sometimes I wish I wasn’t a panster.

                  I tried, genuinely. I gave outlining a go and it didn’t make the writing process any easier. And honestly, it takes the mystery out of it.

                  I like finding out what my characters are going to do as my fingers are moving across the keyboard. There’s a moment with every character where a revelation is made and I suddenly understand why they are doing what they are doing.

                  But I still sometimes wish I wasn’t a panster.

                  It’s chaotic. And sometimes a little overwhelming. Which is why I had to step away from my epic fantasy for a while.

                  It took time, and a willingness to let myself just write whatever way felt good, before I could go back to it.

                  And now I’ve written 6 days in a row, hitting my goal every time.

                  I’m trying to not take it for granted. Because as we all know, writer’s block can rear its ugly head at the best of times in most cases. You’re at the height of that high. You’re writing more then you ever have and all of sudden you’re writing voice is gone, the characters aren’t cooperating and everything and I mean EVERYTHING feels cheesy somehow.

                  The truth is, when you first start out writing in a serious manner, you have no idea what your writing voice is. You have no idea what your methods are. And there’s a lot of noise out there telling you what the “correct” way to write a book is.

                  At some point you learn to tell all those voices to suck it and do whatever you want.

                  The only important thing is whether your book goes from beginning to end. It doesn’t matter how you accomplish riveting storylines or deep and memorable characters, only that they’re a part of your book. It doesn’t matter if you need a 7-page outline or an array of notes off your phone to figure out a magic system, just that it makes sense and is consistent.

                  Is the book good? Did you write it from your own big brain? Then it really doesn’t matter if you outline for three months prior or if you simply opened a word doc and went to town.

                  Anyways, that’s my spiel for today. I’m very tired and didn’t sleep well so if any of that is incoherent, tough cookies cause I’m still posting.

                  Word Count:

Project Prophecy (I will give a hint. One of the words in the title would be a delectable treat for Hannibal Lecter):49,327

Project I See Dead People (haha because of Kendrick and also the main character is dead haha):3389

                  Stay writing (your way. Even when every YouTube video, self-help book, and New York Times Bestselling author tells you it’s the wrong way)