Writing is My Lifeline

Writing has been a lifeline for me for the past eight years. It started when I made the choice to become single, unemployed & homeless at the same time. I was desperatley unhappy in every part of life. I needed to get away from London and figure out what it was I actually wanted. I ended up in Borneo, doing underwater conservation for eight weeks. As well as coming away with my first tan in eighteen years, I had a clear vision that I wanted to work in TV & Film. At 31, I got back to London and started over, and decided to blog about my journey. Ever since writing my first post I have not only loved writing but found comfort and a creative side that I didn't know existed. I am so grateful that I stumbled upon Vocal. This is only my third story on Vocal, but I already love it. There are so many interesting creators and communities. Whatever you are into, whatever you want to write, you will find here. I love that because absolutely everyone has a story to tell.

For those into creative writing, you will know that this month is NaNoWriMo, short for national novel writing month. I've heard of this before but never taken part. The premise for those that don't know is to write a novel of 50,000 words in 30 days. I've been writing my novel since 2019. I was at just over 11,000 words at the start of November 2021. I would go through phases where I'd write and edit consistently for a few weeks, then life would get in the way, and I'd stop. I promised myself in 2020 that I would finish my novel, and you guessed it, life got in the way. More to the point, I let life get in the way because I didn't believe that I had anything worth saying.

The short time that I've been a member of Vocalplus has taught me that everyone has something worth saying. That particular knowing, along with doing some work on my self-belief, could be the very thing that changes my life.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't yet started seeing the big bucks from sharing my stories on Vocal, nor have I finished the draft of my first novel, but every time I check my stats and see that another person has liked one of my stories, I am so incredibly grateful. Not only did someone take the time to read what I wrote, but they also made the extra effort of liking it. Every time that happens, it's as if someone is clapping their hands and saying they believe in faeries, and it makes me believe in myself.

With over 2000 words today was my biggest writing day so far in NaNoWriMo. I set myself a small target of 750 words a day for the first week because I knew I needed to find my flow. I believe I've done that, and every time someone on Vocal likes a story I've written, it spurs me on to chase my dreams and finish my novel. It now sits at just over 17,000 words, and I am so bloody proud of myself. I truly believe I can finish my first draft in the next 23 days. Writing has always been a lifeline for me. Something I turn to when I need to get things off my chest, but it is turning into something so much more. I cannot wait to see where my new-found belief and creativity takes me.

If I believe I can do it, then everyone should believe they can do it. So, as well as finishing the novel this month, I will enter my first vocal challenge with a fictional story that is very close to my heart. I won't lie, the thought of putting it out there for people to read scares the living daylights out of me, but I need to face my fears and believe. Feel free to clap your hands.