Word of the Week - Beginning

I've found Word of the Week difficult over the last few weeks. Nothing seemed to sum up the week so I reluctantly decided not to take part. But this week I thought there was a word which was suitable so here I am again!

This week I've chosen 'Beginning' as my word. I've written on several occasions about how I struggle to become and stay organised. This lack of organisation has scuppered my attempts to concentrate properly on my writing. No matter how many planners I start, how many notebook I have, I never seemed to get a handle on 'being a writer'. I recognise that it's a fundamental problem of mine - start off with good intentions then the apathy/ennui kicks in and I'm back to square one.

This week someone told me about Patreon. This is a website that matches creative people with patrons, folk who like what is created and donate money each month so the creative person has an extra incentive to create or has the funds that enables them to create. The patrons are offered 'rewards' for their patronage - things like a piece of artwork, mention in a rap lyric, internet contact to answer questions, tutorials. A friend of my son's makes a living doing this - he's not a millionaire but makes enough to keep body and soul together.

I'm seriously considering joining. My thinking is as follows: if I'm lucky enough to attract patrons then the fact that they are paying me to write will concentrate my mind and force me to stop procrastinating about it. It will also make me feel like a 'proper' writer, that my writing is valued and therefore I will want to do more. I often feel that I am wasting time when I'm writing, that I should be doing something else rather than wasting my time indulging my fantasy of being a writer.

So I am looking at a new beginning, a time when I feel like a 'proper' writer, a time when I write for the joy of it without the guilt, a time when I get more of my writing out into the world and find out if I have what it takes to be a writer.

Watch this space!