by Christa Abernathy

Created on: January 06, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

I love to write. I'm so passionate while I'm starting, but tend to dwindle off in enthusiasm about midway. It doesn't matter, if I'm working on a script, a novel, a short story, or an essay. I always tend to fall away from the work before it's finished. But that doesn't mean it's forgotten.

I finally finished a full length script last year, only to realize that it's never really done. I wrote a modern adaptation of "Lysistrata" for a conservative audience. And if you didn't think that was hard enough, I had to write it for a Christian college. I know what you're thinking, this girl's insane.You're probably right. However, the effect worked quite nicely in the end. Though as I look back on it, I can find many small changes that could be made.

So why haven't I tried to get it produced?

Simply put, I don't think I've found an audience for it yet. While it would work well in a church or school forum, it's not exactly mainstage material. I don't have my hopes set high for it. Most of what I write is made for small stage work. My most recent script was a short Christmas play for Youth group performance.

Why haven't I finished more works?

Fear of rejection plays a part. So does time - it takes time to write a script, novel, what have you. I don't have time. But a big part is that there is little in the ways of support for writers, whatever the field. While other writers may claim to be supportive, they're really thinking how you might be better or worse than you. While family and friends claim to be supportive, they're really wondering when it's appropriate to have you committed. And while professors claim to be supportive, they're too busy giving vague critisms than to actually help you improve.

Why do I keep writing?

Because, with everything holding me back, there's still one thing pushing me forward - inspiration. I can no more keep the ideas from flowing out of my mind than the Dutch boy could keep the water from flowing out of the dam.

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