Writing Just For Fun

I'm nearly done with my latest work in progress and I've been thinking how fun it was. I basically cranked it out in three consecutive years of NANOWRIMO. But I liked the stories so well that I dug them out of the maybe later file, fixed them up, and put them together into a novel. It was fun from beginning to end. I have a good feeling about it getting published. It will be highly ironical if this book that I just "popped out" gets published, when the one I spent years working on is still sitting on the shelf, but stranger things have happened.

Now that I think of it, they were all fun in the beginning... it's only when I start second guessing myself and rewrite the heart out of my stories that they become zombie albatrosses hanging about my neck.

I started writing, so I could read the sort of books I wanted to read, but couldn't find enough of. Then, I found that writing them was almost more fun than reading them. I got addicted to controlling the destiny of my characters and ensuring the endings that I wanted. Plus, I've always had an over active imagination and writing gave me full vent for that, building new worlds, making up my own imaginary friends... well, you know.

So I've finally remembered that writing is fun, and even if this book is never seen on bookshop shelves, I'm glad I wrote it.

Life after NaNo

I've completed my goal and won the event, and what a relief not to have that hanging over my head.
It was fun and it was not, but it was good for me. I was forced to do what I should do anyway and that is to write every day.
So now, the challenge I give myself, is to continue on, writing as if I had a deadline, writing as if I really mean it.
Today I did something that will motivate me to stay with it. I signed up for the LDS Storymakers conference in May; not only that, but I signed up for the Publication Primer workshop beforehand. I did boot camp last year, and learned so much that the chance to do something even more intense was more than I could resist.
Now, whenever I think "Oh, I'll write tomorrow." I will be reminded that I have to show up in May, and act like I'm a serious writer. I do not like to be embarrassed, so I will be more likely to sit my bottom down and work at what I love best, instead of puttering about the house doing whatever else distracts me.
Does anyone else besides me, have to force themselves to do what they love to do? There is a sure sign of insanity in that isn't there?