A New Sun (Day 276)

I need to read more. Maybe that's what I should concentrate on doing during my lunch breaks instead of playing my 3DS. I could of course always make time for both, but I haven't been in the mood for Bravely Default lately and I've beaten everything else I have--and honestly, I'm still just borrowing that game. I think the fact that I haven't been reading anything at all has really taken a toll on my writing skills, particularly when it comes to descriptive language. I know I've written recently about how I should draw to work on that skill--but really that would just be a visualization exercise. Sometimes even when I can visualize something completely I still can't describe it in any satisfying way.

The last book I read was The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and I'm ashamed to say I never finished it. I have no idea why. It's a fantastic book and I was really into it. For some reason, though, I just completely stopped reading it. I think starting tomorrow I'll try to finish it up during my lunch break (or at least make significant progress). After I get done with that, there are a few other books by Maruki Harukami I could try reading. Alternatively, I could look for something else, but I don't have a clue where I would start looking. When I was younger, I read exclusively fantasy. I'm not opposed to reading more, but it's difficult to find something that appeals to my particular tastes. I don't have much of an interest in A Song of Ice and Fire, for instance.

I keep visualizing these characters in my head and I feel like I could see them perfectly--but I don't have the words to describe them. For someone who wants to write, that's not a great thing. I need to search elsewhere for inspiration. I can't expect to play video games and watch anime all day while reading nothing and expect to be able to express myself in an effective way. Still, though--I started this blog at a time when I wasn't doing any reading at all, and for a long time, I made frequent and consistent updates to my story. Reading is definitely going to help me, but it's not the only factor interfering with my creative process. Something else is going on here.

I think when I was running on a regular basis I felt more inspired on average. I don't have a concrete explanation for that, but running does have a way of clearing one's mind. It also forces me to lose myself in thought, to be introspective. These are the kinds of things that are conducive to the writing process. It's just strange. I have this picture of a character in my mind. She has dark hair, dark eyes, and bold eyebrows. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail and her eyes are spaced far apart. There is something about her that could be accurately described as "sturdy" but she is not at all unattractive. But even that description doesn't do it justice. What is she wearing? I have no idea. How tall is she? Maybe a bit taller than average. Personality? Not sure, but it's safe to say she's tough.