I’ve been struggling to get back into writing, as it has been such a very long time since I’ve written anything. I’ve gone a month or so without doing a blog post, for gods’ sake. As of today, I’m under my target wordcount, but my words-per-day to finish on time is still under 2k/day, so that is entirely doable. So far, it’s been a bit painful and each target has been met after many agonised hours spent sitting at my desk, staring at Scrivener and asking why this all wasn’t more fun.
What I don’t want to do is hit that 50k and trigger that “Yaay, I’ve won!” feeling, because it is very hard to continue past that point. I’m trying to think of this as a habit that I am setting which will continue month in and month out.
I am glad that I’ve arranged a small hiatus from cover work, because if I had any pressure, much less the inhuman schedule that I had last year, I would have used it as an excuse to punk out. I know I would have.
That said, this afternoon I did some personal artwork, and it felt fantastic. Here is “Crow Girl” – click for info about stock credit.
Hey, Ravven.
I’ve been struggling too. In addition to some of the distractions I’ve already mentioned on the blog, we suddenly moved at the end of October and we’re still trying to get the house in order for living and Thanksgiving. Writing is interrupted often as we go on a bug-hunt through boxes for curtains, wood-glue, power-strips, shampoo and other important items that randomly got packed away in the rush to get out (Short-Sale).
I don’t believe the blame for my reluctance to sit and hammer out the words can be laid completely at the altar of distraction though. One of my major problems is that I’m not entirely sold on my story line and as a result I don’t have a clear vision of my plot. Another is that there are situations I’m trying to create in it, like a believable romance and a worthy mystery, that I’ve never tried before and it’s proving difficult. I too feel a bit apprehensive that hitting 50k (unlikely as it is at this point), or even simply making it through to the end of the month writing everyday, won’t result in a desire to continue so much as it will a sense of relief that it’s over…which is not conducive to creativity.
On the other hand, if I can revive some sort of daily writing discipline out of the endeavor, I won’t feel the whole effort has been a bust.
I sometimes wonder if I don’t need to join the local writing group. They submit portions of their manuscripts for critique and get together at a group meeting once a month to talk about ’em. While that might inspire me to keep a more regular discipline–so I have something to submit–I’m not sure I’m keen on another fledgling writer, telling me about flaws in my rough drafts that I already know are there by virtue of it being a rough draft. I dunno. Maybe I’m looking at it the wrong way. There might be some folk in the group who have the advice I need for constructing mysteries and convincing romances.
Anyway, I feel your pain, girl. I wish I had proven advice. I do know that, for me anyway, it’s still more uncomfortable not to write than it is to squeeze out my measly 1k- a day. I guess I’m just gonna keep fighting for now and see what the tide brings in. It would be nice to once again feel an eagerness to hit the key-board rather than dread.
Knucks,
I’m down to looking at it as an exercise in discipline. I had a story that I was really excited about, although it may have been a bit overly complex for me at this point in my writing education. But still, I was in love with the whole idea…and once I started to write it the words just piled up like small dead things on the page.
I’m still hoping that it will all catch fire…but that may have to wait for the second pass. :)
I’ve always thought that November was a terrible time to try to write a novel…Thanksgiving, Christmas preparations, etc. And I can’t even imagine doing it after a move – you are a very brave man.