Its Saturday. Don’t double-check your calendar. It is Saturday when I am writing this. I didn’t plan on writing this today, but I felt I should keep up the energy that I *still* have from the networking event I went to on Thursday. Plus, I have a couple of things to moan about. What better place to do it than on a blog called Monday Moaning/Friday Fiction (no, I am not changing the name, Kurt)? I am only pulling your leg, sir. I love you.

This blog will deal with some of the ol’ mental health, a la Daragh Fleming at Thoughts Too Big. I did a workshop on blogging facilitated by Daragh during the summer, and I took a lot from it. A lot of what you see here may not be evident to the reader, but I certainly wouldn’t be writing this blog the way I am without learning from him. So, cheers, Daragh.

I never really know how to approach this kind of openness, so bear with me. This is what I want to do. This, right here. I want to write. It was great talking to people at the networking event. My opening line was, “I am trying to make it as a writer”. Most people were lovely and encouraging, saying I am a writer. It doesn’t matter whether or not you are “professional”. That, to be honest, is something I have heard before, but I think I need to listen to it every once and a while again to refuel my creative engine.

I read Austin Kleon’s trilogy of books recently. I may have mentioned that before. Follow me on Instagram for all the books I have been reading. I found them to be a delightful read and, most importantly, motivational. It is always important to be encouraging in the creative arts. That’s why, as I learnt from Daragh, it is important to shout out the people who inspire you. That is why I probably have annoyed you with all the links to other things. I hope you understand; I am doing it out of love.

There is a poem by Stephen James Smith called We Must Create. I have heard him recite it many times. I won’t give the whole poem away here, but the opening line is, “we must create to know who we can be”. The reason, honestly, why I ended up writing today is that I knew that I didn’t want to do something else. As I get older, I am learning more and more that I can’t let others dictate my time. I must create. To all those who don’t understand this creative world: if you are being tested by an artist working away because they aren’t doing what you want or expect, let them be.

Finally, if you see me writing and want me to do something, just let me be.

Thank you for reading; we must create, and thank you for your time.