What I have become is a finisher. I no longer write the first fifteen pages of something, then let myself get distracted by something shiny and abandon that project for a new one.
And that's good! Because I'm finishing things, I'm able to submit them, and some of them are getting published and I might get to be a "real" writer full-time-all-the-time someday.
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| Neil Gaiman-I have this picture as my desktop background |
But there are trade offs. Here lately, joy has been one of the trade-offs.
If I want to "cash in" (metaphorically or literally) on what success I've already had, then I need to continue to produce work of that sort, even if my heart or brain or soul wherever the words come from wants something else right now. I can be very disciplined and I have been, for months now. That's good--I'll have work in a few anthologies in the next few months and a new book in April. You can't argue with results.
There's a joy in a new idea, though. In working with new characters, new worlds, new premises, new settings. When I feel like I've been in revisions and editing too too long, I get bogged down. I worry about burning out. I need a little of that "open to anything" juice to get my blood pumping again.
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| Snoopy understands joy. |
So, that's what I'm trying to balance: progress on the current WIPs, with enough "play" time to keep my love and joy in the words. All this on the one or two hours I can steal for writing around the day job and family life.
I especially love prompt writing for this. Prompts seem to be everywhere right now, as the NaNoWriMo machine starts chugging its engines. I've had invitations to work on several different kinds of flash fiction prompts here lately.
I think I may have found the one that will work for me right now though--it's a ten minute prompt. You get a sentence starter, and you're only supposed to write on it for ten minutes. Then stop. Just dip your toes in. Start the new thing, but don't let it take over.
I've only done a couple and I already love it. I'm getting that charge I get out of something new, but still leaving myself time and energy to make progress on the work that might get me paid.
What works for you? How do you balance finishing things with keeping the joy?
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This posting is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group blog hop. To check out other posts by writers in a variety of places in their careers, check out the participant list. This group is one of the most open and supportive groups of people I have ever been associated with. If you write, you should check them out!
This posting is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group blog hop. To check out other posts by writers in a variety of places in their careers, check out the participant list. This group is one of the most open and supportive groups of people I have ever been associated with. If you write, you should check them out!
I think it's a good idea to balance out what you need to write with the new ideas. I would totally do that--if I had new ideas! The old ones seem to bother me for way too long but I still can't finish them.
ReplyDeleteI've been there, too--unable to let go of something I've gotten fixated on. Not the problem I'm having right now, though.
DeleteIf my heart's not in it, I don't bother writing it, because in the end, it will end up feeling forced and no one wants to read that.
ReplyDeleteTrue. I do still love my ongoing projects. But I miss falling in love with new stories, too.
DeleteYeah. I'm at the same place. Trying to find joy in some other things that are still hobbies instead of the second job, like music. But my guitar calluses are gone. Which might be a good thing, as I can only play for about 15 minutes! ;-) Write on, Rob
ReplyDeleteThat's a good thought, too. The playtime might reside in other interests.
DeleteI balance by working on more than one series at a time. That way I can jump between worlds and characters whenever I like. I'm one of those writers who can jump around on scenes though. Do it enough and I see results on multiple books - so far I've finished three books this year, two are out for release now and I suspect a fourth will be finished by December too.
ReplyDeleteJumping between big projects isn't working for me like it once did.
DeleteI focus on the same piece until I run out of steam. Then I jump to something else and do the same thing again. I'm not sure it's the best method, but it's better than no method at all.
ReplyDeleteI think that's similar to what I'm really doing too. :-) At least we're both making words.
DeleteI like to work in strict routines, but I also schedule the who-cares. A little who-cares is a lovely thing.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. It's good to write something that doesn't have any pressure (even just from myself) attached.
DeleteWow, I can relate to so much in this post, Samantha. When I got an agent (don't have one anymore), I remember feeling that writing wasn't fun anymore. It was just rewrites and more rewrites.
ReplyDeleteIt takes me longer to get a book out there because I work on other projects instead of focusing strictly on rewriting until it's done.
But the other way made me miserable. I can totally relate!
That's where I am, too. Holding onto the fun and the joy, and still trying to make the doughnuts (joke from an old Dunkin Donuts commercial that probably really dates me).
DeleteI'd like to keep a balance, but I approach writing the way I would dinner. I have to eat all of one thing before tasting the next.
ReplyDelete