It’s hard to settle back into the routine of writing after taking off a couple of weeks to watch parades and catch bags full of useless beads, after devoting my days and evenings not to plotting or stringing words together, but to talking to my visiting sister and daughter, and strolling through the shops on Magazine, and enjoying leisurely meals at some of the area’s restaurants.
Of course, my sister is a writer, too (Penelope Williamson), so the conversation often drifted to books and the publishing industry. And while that was useful and enlightening, it’s obviously different from actually WRITING. No one is going to pay me for coming to a deeper understanding of this crazy business of ours.
Writing requires me to immerse myself in my story, and after two weeks of what was essentially a holiday, I’m reminded of what it feels like to stand at the edge of a shimmering pool of water. I want to go for a swim, and I know it’ll feel good once I start, but I’ve just dipped my toe in the water and it’s icy cold. For some reason, it’s always so hard to make myself plunge back in.
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4 comments:
I'm three chapters in on my work in progress and know exactly what you mean about the need to be totally immersed. I don't know who is my worst enemy -- the external distractions or myself. It's very easy to dissipate energies, particularly on websites and blogs. And as you remind us, we all enjoy holidays. I usually find the second half of a book much easier to write than the first, despite working from a synopsis. You could have the answer -- a deep plunge that takes you way in. Thank you for letting us in on your secrets.
Famous lie of all time:
You'll warm up once you're in there!
Just start with twenty minutes. Say you will write for twenty minutes and see what happens.
Good luck.
I wonder why this is such a universal experience? After a layoff I both look forward to getting back to the work, and yet strangely dread it. I seek avoidance. I normally think that I know myself fairly well but I have no idea why this should happen.
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