How much do you love F.R.I.E.N.D.S?
As a thirty-something year old who grew up watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S and still has it on in the background daily, I can't help but sail through life making references to the show.
For that reason, I thought it might be fun to incorporate my love for the comedy show into a blog by running through my writing habits using F.R.I.E.N.D.S memes.
After trolling and procrastinating through various F.R.I.E.N.D.S memes, I've found my top few to explain my writing journey. Here they are:
When I have a rough idea for my next book
🗓️ "I don't even have a pla." - Previosuly, when I had a rough idea for a book, I've always tried to pants it, and write without a plan.
That's why I have many first drafts of various novels I haven't published.
I'm planning more now, chapter by chapter, one plot twist at a time.
When writing
🤫 I either need complete silence when I write, or a playlist of peaceful instrumentals playing in my ears - and nothing else.
The sound of someone even breathing beside me can be distracting.
Do that, and you may risk being included in the book just so I can kill you off.
Getting into character
🚶It takes a while to get into character.
Men. Women. Mothers. Fathers. Brothers. Sisters. Stalkers. Criminals. Killers.
I keep a page beside me with their traits, their likes and dislikes, what they look like, a summary of who they are so I can get into character.
After referring to food
🌯🍔 Characters must eat. I have a good relationship with food and so my books reference food in one way or another.
Call it procrastination, but when I write about food, I imagine it, the smell, the taste, the sound.
It makes me hungry and so I can't help but take a cheeky snack break.
Plot twists
🌪️ I love novels with twists and turns and I also love unreliable narrators.
When I'm not writing, my stories are always hovering at the back of my mind.
Plot twists can come to me any time - I could be shopping at the supermarket, cleaning my house, falling asleep, or even mid-conversation with a friend.
"I'm fine"
Ross' famous words.
👀 In my suspense and thriller, novels I tend to infuse emotional depth, tackling the darker aspects of life.
I explore themes of mental health, anxiety, loss, and death, and sometimes, it can be dark, particularly in Seven Sins where a few readers asked me if I was ok. I'm fine.
After publishing: Part 1 - Excitement
💃Gosh, I love it when I finally publish my novel.
I get like this after it's been sent to the editor, too. It's a huge celebration after having spent so much time working on something for so long.
I can't help but do the Monica dance (as long as no one's there to see!)
After publishing: Part 2 - Imposter syndrome
😭 And finally, imposter syndrome kicks in and 101 doubts fall into my head:
- What if people don't like it?
- What if it's not that good?
- Should I be doing this?
These thoughts can last a good while, months even.
So there it is, my writing journey in F.R.I.E.N.D.S memes.
We all have a F.R.I.E.N.D.S character in each of us, which one are you? I'm Monica, due to her love for cooking, high levels of organisation, and impulsive cleaning.