Hello to all my fellow writers out there! Whether you’ve been writing for years or you’re just looking for somewhere to start, I’m glad to have you here, and I hope you can find some good tips and tricks in this column to apply to your own writing. My name is Abby, I’m currently a junior studying animation and screenwriting, and the one thing that has been a constant in my life since I was in kindergarten is that I love to write. Short stories, poems, plays—I love all forms of creative writing. I love using it as an outlet for my emotions, a way to
share ideas I care about with others, or simply just a way to relax and unwind.
That being said, it can be hard to find time to write while balancing classes, work, social life, and necessities like eating and sleeping. As college students, our little hobbies like writing tend to be the first thing to go as schedules fill up with other responsibilities. I’ve fallen victim to this as well, often not making time to write for days or weeks in favor of taking care of everything else I have going on.
The unfortunate truth, though, is that we can’t wait around for free time to magically appear in our busy schedules. While it may not sound ideal, sometimes we have to simply slot it in wherever we can.
I was averse to this idea at first. I tend to be someone who likes everything just so. When I sit down to write, I want it to be in the comfort of my bedroom, at my desk with music playing, a candle lit, and a nice, quiet environment to help me focus. If I constantly waited for those exact conditions every time I wanted to write, though, I would never get anything done.
Instead, I’ve made it one of my resolutions this year to write every day, even if it’s only a few words for a few minutes or an idea to come back to the next day. When you stop and look at your day, you might be surprised at how many opportunities you end up finding. If you commute to campus or travel between the Loop and Lincoln Park regularly, write a few ideas during your travel instead of scrolling through social media. If you get to class early, open a new document on your computer and type something out. Write a quick poem or paragraph reflecting on your day before you go to bed. Whether it’s a fully fleshed-out story or just a few bullet points and the
beginning of an idea, it can be a great way to process and reflect on the events of your day, or to simply unwind and forget about all your other responsibilities for a minute.
Bring a little journal or notebook with you everywhere, along with some pens. That way, you can pull it out whenever the opportunity arises or when an idea strikes. If handwriting things isn’t your style, you can always type things down in your notes app or on your computer.
The point is that writing is more accessible than we sometimes think it is. We just have to step up and work to integrate it into our daily lives. Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, I can’t recommend enough trying to create something every now and then. It doesn’t have to be for anyone else—nobody else ever has to read it if you don’t want them to. It can and should be purely for yourself.
If you don’t know what to write about, looking around you is a great place to start. Write about what you see on your commute to class. Write about something funny or interesting that happened in your day. Write about how you’re feeling about what’s going on in your life. Write the story you’ve always wanted to see but have never been able to find.
I hope that many of you will join me in trying to be more regular with creative writing. I firmly believe we all have a story to tell, and I encourage you all to start finding yours if you haven’t yet. Best of luck, and keep writing!
My name is Abby Kane and I am a junior studying animation with a minor in screenwriting. I’ve always loved creative writing in any form, whether it be poetry, short stories, screenplays, etc. I was lucky enough to publish my first novel last year and I’m working on the rest of the series now. I hope to end up in a career one day that involves creative writing in some form. I love sharing my work and tips for writing with other people—I think sharing and collaboration are some of the best ways to improve your writing!
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