About writing fiction:

Writing can be tough.

I suspect there are a few people out there, words flowing from their fingertips and forming prose sweat like nectar and what-not. I'm not one of them. It's usually a difficult process for me, sitting in front of the computer trying hard to fight against the urge to just roll my face over the keyboard.(*)

A mild session of writing could easily change from "Hmm, this isn't actually that bad." to this;

Still, it has its moments. It always sounded a bit obnoxious to me, when I read about the established writers talking about their craft. How their characters were alive and bullheaded, how were the stories they wrote had twists even surprising to them. Bullshit! I called. It seemed like such a straight forward process to me; you outline the story and you flesh it out. The characters didn't suddenly rebelled and said "Screw you! I'm not kissing another dude."

And when I started writing, I found most of what I read to be true. It's hard to describe the feeling you get when something you create and flesh out, goes on and surprises you. You realize that for some reason the story you're writing isn't happening as you initially wanted it to and it's immensely fun. More than anything else, it is an insight to how your mind works.

I experienced this for the first time during my NaNoWriMo attempt. While it wasn't exactly a success, starting with a very basic idea of what I wanted to do and developing it on the way was quite a different experience. I woke up every morning, wrote roughly 1000 words and that was it. I didn't think about the story, or how I should continue. I just got behind the desk and wrote. And surprisingly, it wasn't a smoldering mess of shit.

And finally, it's creative and it drives you to think and wonder about things you would never do otherwise.  I mean, why on earth would you try to imagine how the dawn would look on a planet orbiting a binary system?

Go on, and try it. Maybe you'll like it. Maybe, you'll get hooked.

* This is the way I see it. You might not favor the head-on-keyboard writing technique to get those creative juices to flow.

It has somewhat become customary for me to start my blogs etc with Tom Waits. So, here is an old of post of mine regarding the man's genius.

It’s hard to describe this man’s genius. I’m either at loss for words or babbling like a fool when people ask me about the kind of music Tom Waits makes. We’re talking about someone who makes music whistling, howling, hitting pipes and old sofas. And by some divine intervention he creates haunting beats. I swear, he could make good music with nothing but a bag full of angry cats.

It was when I stumbled upon “Chocolate Jesus”; I saw him throw up a fistful of confetti and break into a bizarre dance, and I was hooked just like that. I thought “This guy is either a genius or mad as a hatter.”

He’s certainly an acquired taste -I’ll give you that, but one that you’ll never regret. I’m not afraid to say that I’ve got a huge man-crush on him. It would be a great day if Mr. Waits ever decides to come to Istanbul.