Writing in Reverse

Wattpad

This time though, I knew I couldn't.  That was the point of posting a story on Wattpad.  To learn how to write and to keep at it, to get better.  So I wrote out the first chapter of what at the time was just called for the time being 'Trust me'. I figured that fit well enough for the fact that nobody believed the main character and that since she was trying to get her mom's husband to believe her, 'Trust Me' was okay. Not long after that at all I changed it to 'Handcuffed Love' for the fact that I knew I wanted this to be a romance in a way, that it would be twisted, and it would be something they would be trapped in in a way.  Before I did though, I had fun coming up with the character's names.

Albany Higgins.  I knew I wanted her to have a name of a city.  I wanted her to be named after where her father was born and that was why she was given that name.  Since I know all the state capitals, I started going through each state. When I came to Albany, New York, I knew that was the perfect one. I liked how it sounded and thought it would fit well as a name for a girl.  It also came to fit her personality, in my opinion.  I don't recall where I came up with Higgins though.  I just knew that I thought it fit nicely with the name Albany.  I came up with the name Clare because I wanted a name that sounded kind of plain but one I wouldn't get bored of.  I don't know where I came up with Luke though; I just thought of that name randomly I think.  I kind of regret it though.  I couldn't stand the name Luke after a while and every time I wrote his name, I would also get mad at myself for coming up with that name.  At the time, I still didn't have a last name for Luke so he remained that way.     

After spending hours of just rereading the first chapter after writing it, wondering if it was good, it was time to post it.  I remember it was only four pages.  At the time, I found that a decent size.  I was happy with it. 

It was a big moment for me really and I remember it with perfect clarity, posting the first chapter.  I was sitting on my bed with the laptop in front of me, it was late at night, and when I pushed the publish button, I remember feeling different.  Like this was the start of something that would soon become a constant in my life - and it did.  

Of course, I got nowhere with it with just the first chapter.  I wasn't stupid and wasn't prepared to see more than ten reads.  I knew how it worked and if you wanted to get reads, you need to post.  That will always be the something important that I have to give credit to for earning reads: actually upload your story.  The more you upload, the more reads you will get I learned later. 

I started writing more of the story and with only a few chapters in, I still didn't know where this story was going.  I didn't know how it would end and at the time, I didn't care.  It was a good story to me and that was enough for now.  It was an intriguing story and it wasn't the need to get reads that kept me writing.  I kept writing because it was fun and that should really be your only reason for writing.  Not for recognition, not because you are good at it... because if you don't enjoy it, then what is the point?

What I didn't prepare for was when another idea hit me just as I was being to write and post this seemingly good story about the girl named Albany.  I had a dream one night and it seemed to come out of nowhere. 

I woke up on a beach.  It was hot and sunny and there was nothing but me and the palm tree I was leaning my back against.  I was struggling and breathing hard, soaking wet, and my eyes stung from just being in the ocean.  Looking around me, there was no sign of people, no nothing.  I knew it was an island I was on, sitting against some tree.  But then, suddenly a man was in front of me.  Looking up at him in wonder, I saw that it was actually my eighth grade teacher - the one I had a crush on and later told.  He knelt down beside me and I noticed he was also soaking wet.  He looked like a I mess compared to what he looked like before and we both realized we were stuck here, together on an island.