Writing Is Not So Easy

I've been working on a short story for my Adolescent Literature class and it has basically been consuming my every waking thought. I don't have to officially turn in the story for a couple weeks, but we are having a draft workshop on Thursday where my group members from class will read it and give me their feedback.

Let me tell you, I think creative writing is way harder than any other academic writing that I've done in college so far. When you're writing an essay, you at least have a focused topic that you write about. You have more direction, and when you're done proving your point, then you finish your paper. Done.

I think writing a story takes so much more creativity. You can basically make up a story and write anything you want. Your plot can go anywhere you choose. Your characters can do anything you want them to do. They can say anything you want them to say (there are just infinite possibilities) but your plot also has to make sense and there are things that need explanation. And I've been having a hard time trying to decide what I want my main character to do or say because I wonder how she might come across to her readers.

I need to finish up my draft by tomorrow because then I have to email it to my group from class. Back to writing...