Fine-tuning My Writing Focus

Are you like me, wondering where all the days are going? Sometimes, I find it helpful to state the facts and center myself.

Today is Tuesday, August 3rd. The year is 2021. I’ve just turned 32 and am one month and some change away from getting married.

These statements have been a long time coming, yet remain difficult to comprehend. Me, experiencing 2021? In my 30s? Getting married? Ms. Rothstein, my high school Latin teacher, told us that “Tempus fugit.” Turns out, she and that pesky Virgil were right.

This week, once again, I’m reminded that while time has flown completely out the window, it’s left some wonderful things in its wake. Moving into the year 2021 means I’ve made it through previous years (what a feat, right?).

Turning 32 means I’m getting acquainted with my 30s, learning to appreciate my health and my body, and knowing what I want in life. Marriage (for me) means I’ve been in a healthy, long-term relationship with a person I trust, and I still have decades of that relationship to look forward to.

With the passing of time and transitions apparent in my nonwriting life, it’s natural that I’ve then begun to reflect on my writing’s own evolution.

When I first began writing, I had no intentions. I was a young kid and felt like writing silly poems and stories, as simple as that. I really can’t explain what first led me to do so. I just knew I felt like myself when I was scribbling on paper.

In my teenage years, writing became unintentionally therapeutic, a fact I’m eternally grateful for. This process of writing out my feelings helped me make sense of the wild world I was living in. When I entered my early 20s, I almost completely focused on the academic writing required in college.

While it’s tempting for me to criticize myself for “wasting” so much energy on research papers I barely remember a decade later, I’m thankful I did so. I learned how to write well under pressure (and sleep deprivation), a skill that helps me in my current freelance work.

Now that I’ve shifted into writing as a full-time career, I’m fine-tuning my craft even more. These past few weeks, I’ve made shifts in my freelance schedule, actively seeking projects that align more closely with my interests.

For example, I took on a ghostwriting assignment that led to me contributing to a travel guidebook. I’ve also just started an ongoing assignment related to spirituality and wellness, a project I’m really looking forward to.

My own cozy mystery is even progressing! Since I’m making an effort to incorporate time in my schedule for my personal projects, I’ve written a few chapters of my story over the past week. Several pages of my notebook are filled to the brim with chocolate shop-related, mysterious small-town coziness. 🧁🍫

Life’s certainly been a big adventure so far, and I’m 100% positive that more adventure awaits. So for now, I plan to enjoy the ride and keep on writing the things that make me happy!

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Have you fine-tuned your own writing in recent months? How does time ticking away influence your own writing path? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section!