So long story short, after reading everyone's comments from yesterday I found that the general consensus is that in the end Readers read and writers write. But those of us that are a little of both are screwed. :)
Personally I think it is all about focus. Movies are great because they are done and over in two hours (more or less) and you feel satisfied (hopefully) in the end, ready to move on. Reading books take a bit more of a commitment - depending on how life goes for you, you can usually get one done at least within a week or less and again - satisfied.
Personally I think it is all about focus. Movies are great because they are done and over in two hours (more or less) and you feel satisfied (hopefully) in the end, ready to move on. Reading books take a bit more of a commitment - depending on how life goes for you, you can usually get one done at least within a week or less and again - satisfied.
When you're writing however - the commitment is a whole lot greater. It can take months or years to finish writing a novel and that doesn't even get into the editing process. (Querying and everything else I will get into on a later date) The lack of instant gratification that we are all used to in this golden age of technology is just not there. I know I've blogged about instant gratification before but I really think that this is a very important thing for us writers. And we don't get it very often.
I actually ended up having a conversation with my husband last night about the lack of progress in my writing and how sad it makes me. And God bless him he really tries to understand but doesn't fully get it.
In all honesty I don't really have anything to equate it too for him. Nothing that will really show him what it feels like. It is my dream to get a book published and yet I feel like I'm falling further and further behind on accomplishing that goal. I need to push myself ad whole lot harder and strengthen my resolve to stay focused. If I don't drift off to watch tv or scan the internet then the progress will hopefully prompt some of the enthusiasm that I've been missing so desperately.
In all honesty I don't really have anything to equate it too for him. Nothing that will really show him what it feels like. It is my dream to get a book published and yet I feel like I'm falling further and further behind on accomplishing that goal. I need to push myself ad whole lot harder and strengthen my resolve to stay focused. If I don't drift off to watch tv or scan the internet then the progress will hopefully prompt some of the enthusiasm that I've been missing so desperately.
6 comments:
I find having a set time every day to write really helps. Maybe you should try it. I have to work on something, but I allow myself to choose what that is, a novel, a short story, research.
Kelly - That is a good habit to have. My life is just so chaotic (not all that bad right now given that its summer) but everyday I have a different schedule. Plus I have a part time job to boot. :/
But I will try to pick one time during the day to keep as writing time. And hopefully it will become a habit for me as well.
Thanks
I blogged on this, a bit, back in April: Quitting's Not for Everyone
Sometimes life gets in the way of our writing, and that's okay. Yes, cutting back on TV and other stuff can free up writing time, but still, sometimes we're at the stage of actively kneading the dough, and sometimes we're at the stage of letting the bread rise before we knead it again. Don't beat up on yourself for not progressing as far you think you "should" be.
Beverly - Ah yes...that wonderful thing called real life. Got to love it. hahaha I'm just kidding.
Yeah I know that life absolutely has a habit of coming first. And really I have no problem with that. Mom, Wife, and the million other hats I wear, that's just how it goes.
I think the part that has me annoyed/worried/scared is that the first story wrote I was so enamored with writing that it was the only thing I wanted to do. I wrote constantly and loved ever minute of it. Now its like pulling teeth getting myself to sit down and make any sort of progress. I don't want it to be like that.
I want the excitement and enthusiasm back. :/
Someone once used the illustration of a jar. If you try put a ton of sand, then marbles, then ping pong balls in, not everything will fit.
But when you put the ping pong balls, then the marbles, then the sand, everything does.
When you put the things that matter most first, everything else can fill in the empty spaces.
TV, Internet, etc, is my sand. Writing falls somewhere between a ping pong ball and marble. I LOVE it. But I know that if I don't get the absolute necessary things handled first, then my writing doesn't flow, because I am too busy worrying about everything else.
Take care of the kid. Take care of the family. Take care of myself. THEN, write. Blog and novel (the blog satisfies my instant gratification button) THEN, everything else.
Somewhere in the taking care of myself is recharging so I can write.
It's not easy, and some days you lose your pep. But you can do it.
Wosushi - Point well taken. I've heard the same thing before and it really does stike a chord. I think all the stress I've been putting on myself for "Not making headway" was making it an unpleasent experience.
I need to just write and when it comes it comes.
Here's to the joy of writing returning in abundance. :D
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