Someday Stories

In my previous post I make a reference to the "someday" story. I thought I'd take the time to explain. I am the kind of writer who has a million ideas. Several stories going all at once. And of course I hope that someday I'll finish them. Don't put off for tomorrow what you could do today, you may be saying. Generally I agree with you, especially when it comes to things like washing your dishes, showering, or organizing your sock drawer. But there are some things that just take more attention, more time, and more patience than I have in my few spare hours. This includes fulfilling my childhood delusion, ah dream to write novels. 

Growing up I was that kid who not only saw reading books as my escape from the exhaustion caused by socializing, but I also saw reading books with friends as fulfilling my social requirement for the day. Some schooldays, not every school day, I would spend all the time I was not in class reading. Frequently, I'd read in the lunch line. I'd read leaning up against the percussion drawers in the band room, while the trumpets practiced those four measures they could never quite perfect. In homeroom I'd read Harry Potter simultaneously with my friend Liz; she'd take the left page and me the right. I'd even read on the bus ride home. 

Where does the delusion come in? Well, in fifth grade when I started writing my first real story. I'd written plenty of tidbits about the strange/interesting (as I thought them at the time) people I'd see in various places or about my Barbie families (with only two Ken dolls those stories were always very melodramatic) or (most commonly) about movie or book characters, with myself inserted into the plot; I changed the names of course. It wasn't until fifth grade, inspired by a few simple books I'd read about the life of a girl named Lily and her handful of friends, that I decided I wanted to try writing a book. Obviously I didn't understand the process of book writing and lost my momentum after drawing pictures and assigning families and writing only a few pages. However, it was a start and gradually, by the time I was in high school, instead of reading I'd spend all my free time writing. 

This is where the "millions" of ideas come into focus. Don't get me wrong, I was close to finishing a few stories  in High School, so its not like these were half-hearted intentions; I'm just the kind of person who likes knowing that I've finished something and finished it correctly and completely before allowing others to see it. By that definition I may never be done, but that's why I'm at school for Creative Writing, to get the tools I need to feel like I can tinker on these ideas until they are fully functioning. 

I don't intend on writing a novel while I'm a full time student and part time employee trying to fit in time for weekend trips home to South Dakota or evening outings with my friends and roommates. And so I'm sustained by the hope that someday I'll have a life where I can take my writing journal ideas/old high school stories/various inspirations and give them a little more undivided attention. [I am also sustained by the fact that I "have to" write short stories for my Writing Stories homework.] Perhaps it is a delusion, as I know everyone in all stages of life say they never have enough time in their day, but I won't always be doing homework, right?! 

4.5 years (and one certificate) down, at least 4.5 more (and an associates, a bachelors, and a masters) to go...

Hears to hoping to someday being NOT a student,

Jessica

For your viewing pleasure, because everyone loves a post with pictures

I did not make/take this picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/superbrad/4927581520/