December 6, 2024
This post is part of my 30in30 challenge, where I write 30 minutes every day for 30 working days. Due to my limited time for this challenge, the content will be only very lightly researched and edited. The idea is to just write. Find my voice, and find the courage to publish. To follow my curiosity wherever it may take me.
Day 25.
I've been writing for 24 working days (I missed one due to a migraine), and I have just one more week left to complete the challenge.
Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, I can't believe it's almost over. On the other, I'm amazed that I've managed to write consistently for the past five weeks—and I'm definitely ready for a break.
But I know I'm going to miss it. These late-night writing sessions have become a nice way to end my day. I would often stumble upon a thought or idea that surprised me—something to mull over as I drifted off to sleep.
This week felt a bit different, though. I didn't have a plan. Each day, usually after 10 p.m., I sat down and wrote. Starting from nothing, I wrote articles I'm genuinely proud of. They surprised me; I surprised myself.
There are two types of writers: outliners and discovery writers. George R.R. Martin calls them "architects" and "gardeners," while Stephen King describes them as "planners" and "pantsers."
Outliners (or architects and planners) know exactly what they are going to write and how the story will end. They carefully plan and structure their work before putting pen to paper.
On the other hand, discovery writers (or gardeners and pantsers) don't plan. They plant a seed and watch it grow, letting the story guide them wherever it wants to go. They write by the seat of their pants.
I've realized I lean more toward being a discovery writer. Sure, I can outline and plan when needed, and it works well enough. But for this 30in30 challenge, I rarely knew what I was going to write about. Instead, I let the words take me on a journey, learning to trust the process along the way.
I'm looking forward to the last week and the journeys I'm going to take.