Writing tag thinger

I am taking a break from writing an essay that I am freaking out about even though it is worth literally 1.4% of my total grade at the end and essays are graded on a pass/fail basis (why do I find this comforting, you ask? Well, because I know I can at least pass assignments. It's doing well on them that stresses me out). I do have an idea, but it's just a really weak one and our teacher was all "be insightful, not obvious" and I'm worried it's obvious, which I guess it kind of is, but I figure at this point the best thing to do is wait until I get it back to look it over and see how to improve. We had to write a diagnostic essay, too- mine's crappy only because the essay has to be about 500 words, and as any person who has had experience writing anything of value knows, 500 words is way too fucking short for an essay. I suppose if I had to grade goodness knows how many essays a week, though, I'd make the word limit 500 too.

ANYWHOO I decided to look at the very small number of blogs I actually follow (I am not good at finding new ones) and found a "writing tag" thing on a writing blog (which I was not allowed to join b/c I am an ATHEIST, capital letters included) so I decided a good way to take a break would be to answer it.

1. What was your first ever piece of writing? God, don't even ask. I've been writing since I could make sentences. Probably some weird story where odd things happen. If we're talking my first piece of finished writing... well, I wrote a lot of "Sarah stories" as a kid- stories starring my heroine, Sarah, and frequently a cast of other characters (including her sister, Ashley; an annoying boy whose name was always Jimmy, sometimes burglars (I actually had to look that word up to spell it and now it looks all funny), and once, Buffalo Jones. Do not ask about Buffalo Jones. He is in the same league as Sir Duke of Washingheld: bad-characters-I-tried-to-make-laughably-bad-but-in-reality-they-were-laughably-bad-because-I-sometimes-suck-at-writing.
   If we're talking first finished novel, then Camp Lame-o. Of course. No, wait, not even. It was Black Magic, one of the worst things I have ever written.
2. How old were you when you first began writing? Probably something like 4 or 5. I don't remember. I've just always liked writing stories, ever since I could.
3. Name two writing goals (one short-term and one long-term). Gee, I don't know... short term, I'd like to finish something again, or win NaNo again (especially since I quit last year). Long-term, I'd like to get published eventually. I might end up doing that myself.
4. Do you write fiction or non-fiction? I only write non-fiction for school. Fiction is where the fun is at. You can make everything up- no time-consuming research involved!
5. What's your favourite genre to write in? I have no idea. I thought it was YA (young adult), and I guess it is, but I realized the other day that Camp Lame-o is actually YA supernatural (ironic considering all the times I've expressed dislike for the genre in general). I did write one YA novel, which I think is the best thing I've ever written. I just like YA stuff. Fantasy and sci-fi can be fun too- as long as they're YA fantasy and sci-fi.
6. One writing lesson you've learned since 2013 began. Use it or lose it. Seriously, since quitting NaNo last year, my will to write has severely diminished, and that really makes me sad. I hope I can get back into the habit again. Right now writing feels like something that takes too much effort, and I hate that. Writing should be fun and the fun is gone now and I am scrambling to get it back.
7. Favourite author, off the top of your head! It's a tie. Three ways. Between Kenneth Oppel, Jeanne DuPrau, and Beth Revis. The three of them have books all vying for top spot as my favourite, so that's probably why.
8. Three current favourite books. Oh, perfect! This Dark Endeavour, by Kenneth Oppel; The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau, and Shades of Earth by Beth Revis. They're all so good. I think Diamond is sitting at the top at the moment, though. I read it recently and it kept me up late, shaking the book in excitement as I watched Doon and Lina continue to be awesome and Torren and Lizzie continue to be frustrating.
9. Biggest influence on your writing (person). Uhhh... I don't know. I guess I'd have to say my grades 1-3 teacher, because she always let me read out my Sarah stories to the class. I remember sitting in the hamburger-and-popcorn chair and starting. "Once upon a time, there was a little girl, and her name was..." and the class would say "Sarah" and I was famous for a little while. Those Sarah stories were what I was known for. Damn. Famous at 7. Look at that.
10. What's your go-to writing music? Um... I used to write to music a lot but now I just find it distracting. Usually whatever music that, at the time, is popular and that I also happen to enjoy. This is why certain songs that have nothing to do with my books remind me of them- because I was listening to them while writing. Like "Deer in the Headlights" by Owl City reminds me of a something even though they are totally unrelated, just like "Starships" by Nicki Minaj reminds me of that one shitty novel I wrote for Camp NaNo at the end of grade 11. Wow, was that that long ago? I remember spending time with Ellie and Jeff like it was yesterday.
11. List three to five writing quirks of yours! (Little habits, must-haves as you write, etc) I don't know if I have any. For one, I have to be done everything else. I don't like having guilt hang over me. I can't eat as I write, but I sure do drink a shit-ton of water, the least distracting beverage in the world. I guess sometimes I snack, but that's usually detrimental to progress. And I have to be absolutely comfy- my back can't hurt, I have to have somewhere to rest my head, my laptop must be comfortably situated, my hair can't be in my face- it has to be up, always-, my feet can't be cold, I can't be too hot or too cold in general, etc. Without absolute comfort- if any one of those things is off balance- I can't focus. It's horrible. And I have to be alone. I can't write around other people because I am forever afraid they are reading over my shoulder. 
12. What, in three sentences or less, does your writing mean to you? It is a source of my identity, and one of which I am proud, as everyone should be proud of their talents. It is a way for me to escape reality, even when I'm not writing- I can still think of the plot and the characters and things that happened. And it makes me feel less lonely- the bond I share with my characters is one of the things I treasure the most in the world, even if they are fictional people; my characters are like children to me and they never fail to keep me interested and entertained.

That was fun. And also I forgot totally about my essay. So now when I go back, I'll have a better perspective.

yer pal,
swegan :)