Trying something new

Posted on by WritingfromtheheartwithBrian
Photo by Pexels.

Courage inspires courage.

My daughter picked up crocheting two years ago. Every time I see her, she seems to be working on some new project. She made a scarf for me last Christmas and she was teaching my wife how to crochet when she came home for a visit two weeks ago. My youngest son, who has never been all that handy in the kitchen, has taken up cooking for his roommates. A few weeks ago, in one of his more successful efforts, he made chicken tortellini.

It’s others too. I noticed Crystal Byers of Faith + Gratitude = Peace + Hope wrote recently about signing up for belly dancing lessons. In her piece The First Step she wrote, “There was something both exotic and quirky about the thought.” 

The benefits of trying something new

There are millions of reasons why people try something new:

  • Emotional, psychological, and social well-being: Trying new things can improve your mood and mental well-being. It can release dopamine, which can lead to feelings of happiness. 
  • Confidence and creativity: Learning a new skill can boost your confidence and morale. It also stimulates your brain to make connections. 
  • New perspective and knowledge: You can access new experiences and gain unique perspectives on the world and be inspired.
  • New people: You can make new friends and acquaintances. 
  • New discoveries: Trying new things can help beat boredom. It can open the door to new discoveries about yourself and what you love.

Sign me up and cancel later

And then there’s me: the slacker. Oh, I’m a good one. I love signing up for free classes. I’m constantly signing up for free classes on Linked-In and in my community. However, I’m quick to cancel at the last minute or get pulled into other tasks. My natural tendency is to run from anything new. (Case in point, I surprised my wife with an online ballroom dancing class two years ago. Anytime the course comes up as a possible weekend activity, I discover something better for us to do.)

I like what I like.

Tell us a story

Despite my need for structure and predictability, my goal for the year was to finish a novel. Ten years ago, I started a novel and got pretty far. I came away with 50,000 words before I put the draft away in a drawer.

The first question everyone asks: What’s my novel about? The novel introduces a business executive, two young women heading to a Rock concert, and a truck driver. The story follows each of them for 24 hours and the choices they’ve made in their life, leading up to a tragic car crash. The final few chapters delve into who lives and who dies. It also explores how we’re all different and alike all at the same time.

I haven’t made it very far in finishing my novel. If I keep the Who Lives, Who Dies novel, I need to review the story. I need to improve the transitions throughout the narrative. I also need to come up with an ending. If I decide that the story isn’t worth fixing, I have another ready to go in its place. When I was a young reporter, I covered a devastating fire. I think there’s a “story behind the story” that could serve as the starting point for an interesting novel. The story would be about a farmer and his three sons who need to rebuild after a fire. (Here’s the original piece I wrote: The farmer: A message of hope.)

Middle child syndrome

I’ve made progress mapping out both stories, but have made little progress on the page. Call it laziness. Call it being distracted by other priorities. Call it whatever you want, but it’s now or never. Yes, I’ve kept up with my blog and other writing projects. My novel though sits off to the side like a neglected child.

I look at my novel and feel the angst coming from the page. It’s like one of my kids looking up at me and saying, “Don’t you love me, Daddy? Don’t you love me, Daddy?”

Photo by Pexels.

Put your big boy pants on

It’s time for me to step up. Yes, it’s time to get my act together. I’m trying something new.

I’m signing up to join an annual event in which participants try to write a 50,000-word novel in November. National Novel Writing Month started the phenomenon in the late 90s. NaNoWriMo is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that promotes creative writing around the world. The program became especially famous for its annual event. During this event, participants attempt to finish a manuscript in November.

I have every intention to finish a first draft of my novel. Gosh darn-it. It’s now or never.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people around the world start writing. They are determined to end the month with a first draft. The NaNoWriMo website states: “They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists.”

NaNoWriMo has been hit with a few controversies the past several years. One controversy dealt with the program’s encouragement of AI tools. There have been a few other issues too. I’ve been researching related programs. I’m still researching which program I’m going to use. It could be NaNoWriMo or another program. My goal remains the same. I’m going to stick to a daily writing schedule. I plan to write 1,500 to 1,600 words per day and have a completed novel in 30 days. My next move will be to edit the novel, share it with a few friends, maybe even, and start to shop it around with others.

I keep coming back to Author Jodi Piccoult’s famous advice: “You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” There’s a lot of wisdom in that line.

So, who’s with me? Who’s trying something new? What have you taken up? Finishing a novel or learning something new? Meditation? Ballroom dancing? A new hobby?

Wish me luck. I’m going to need it.

“You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” —Brian Tracy

“You never know what you can do until you try, and very few try unless they have to.” —C.S. Lewis

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” —T.S. Eliot

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” —Vincent Van Gogh

“Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect… Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it.” —Neil Gaiman

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Check out my personal lifestyle blog at www.writingfromtheheartwithbrian.com to read other pieces by me. Be sure to follow me on Instagram at @writingfromtheheartwithbrian. Thanks for reading.

37 thoughts on “Trying something new”

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  4. Courage does indeed inspire courage. I hope you enjoy the experience of NaNoWriMo and keep us posted throughout the journey. It sounds so exciting!

    And in December, you’ll need to give belly dancing lessons a good try too!

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  5. Yes, having a set number of words to write each day helped me complete NaNoWriMo. My best tip? Don’t edit, keep writing. You’ll have the rest of the year for revisions. Years to come in fact 😅
    dusting off my camera is giving the satisfaction and inspiration you listed in your bullet points. Here’s to trying something new!

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  6. Oh how I love this, Brian! First and foremost because I love reading what you write so a post AND a promise of a novel. I’m in!!

    Second because you do such a great job of describing both sides – the benefits of trying new things and the objections that keep us from doing it.

    And the quotes – whew, so inspiring!

    Here’s to (BeReDe) (sign me up as a Beta reader December)!

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  7. Starting is the best thing you can do. Poet Donna Ashworth wrote, just today, “There is a fine line between trusting the process and waiting. Don’t wait. Begin.” You can find her on Instagram and in her many brilliant poetry books.
    I have recently started something new. I’ll be sharing it here at HotM in my next post.
    In the meantime, wishing you the best in your goals to write everyday. And perhaps even finish your book.
    Lovely thought-filled post Brian. Thanks for sharing.

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      1. I am familiar with that pattern of “whatever is stopping me.” I do work on my memoir, but then it slows down and everything else becomes a priority. I wish you the BEST of luck with your November writing challenge! 🙂

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  14. Good for you, Brian! The novel sounds interesting. I did NaNoWriMo once (2017) and that led to me completing a novel of my own, so it can definitely give you the kick in the rear you need. I’m debating doing it again this year, actually. Because I’ve got a third novel to write, and that hasn’t gone anywhere yet…

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