Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Smooth Sailing?

There's a peculiar thing that can happen when things are going well.  You've managed to write something you're happy with (like I finally did with chapter 2) and you're feeling good but for one reason or another you've got to stop.  You manage to stop in a good place, you've got your groove going and you know you'll be able to pick it back up when you go to it later.

Only... somehow that doesn't happen.  You come back and sit down in front of the screen aaaaand... nothing.  Nothing but the urge to go and do something else.

This is another hurdle I'm realizing is part of why I'd been having such problems with Facebook.  I think it's got a lot to do with Rule Number 1.  For those who didn't read my last post or who forget what Rule number 1 is, it's WRITE.  Simple enough right?  Sure, except for those dishes that need to be washed, the laundry and cleaning that need to be done and everything else during the day that somehow doesn't seem so important once you actually GET writing but can be very difficult to ignore before you start.

So how do you find the time to write when life's got you pulled one way or another?  Some things you really can't ignore (or shouldn't) like kids if you've got those (as a few friends of mine do) you can't really ignore them unless you want social services taking them away and no parent wants that, as much as they'd like to write.  Or homework if you want to get the most out of any classes you might be taking.  And you should probably keep eating and other mundane stuff necessary for survival.  As for the rest of it?  Well maybe it can wait for a little while.

I know for myself I've got to learn to either do everything and then sit down and just write what I know I've got brewing in my head and sometimes I'm looking for anything that lets me procrastinate.  Lately I've found writing a blog and talking to my hubby two of the best cures for writer's block and writer's procrastination, but I've also found you've got to find your time.  My time means I don't sleep.  It means writing until all hours of the night, until the chapter's done and until my hubby wakes up in the morning and heads in to work.  Usually with me waking up before he goes and pestering him to read the chapter I wrote while he slept.  I'm glad he finds me amusing and likes my writing or I think I'd have driven him crazy already.  As it is I'm really thankful to have him around and supporting me.

Find your supporter, the person you can talk your ideas with when you're stuck and who'll live with your craziness no matter the hours (doesn't have to be a spouse and if you don't have one yet try writer's groups).  And second find your time to write.  I need no excuses, no distractions and no one to interrupt.  Night-time provides that for me.  You might find early morning or midday or night works the best but it's definitely worth it to find the time.  If you're still stuck with writer's procrastination try and work out an exercise or something that helps you get started.  So far, this blog's working great for that.  So, it's 11pm, and I'm going to post this, watch some more Castle (third season out soon) and then descend into the world of words and visions in my mind.

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