The writing itself is work. Hard, long work. Stop and go. Stop and go. There is no glamour in sweatpants and headaches and half-filled cups of coffee. No triumph in e-mail and twitter and blog checking. There is no power in procrastination. When the words are not coming, when the inspiration isn't there, when you'd rather be doing anything else.
Desk. Computer. Time slipping by while you bury your head in your hands, thinking this will never work.
Couch. Laptop. Time slipping by while you type, type, type. Read, delete. Type again.
Pen. Paper. Time slipping by while you scribble incoherently, hoping, hoping, hoping that you're getting it right.
The writing itself is work. But the moment your vision is realized on paper, the perfect word to convey the perfect meaning, plot points coming together like magic, the thrill of a character coming to life, getting lost in the world...you remember why it's all worth it. Why the doubt and stress give way to hope. Why the long, hard hours are also the most fulfilling. Writing lives in our souls, pumps through our hearts and flows from our fingers. It gives us something to yearn for and hope for and dream for and strive for.
Sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in The Other Side. I fall victim to this all the time, and honestly, it's silly. I haven't even queried yet--I'm not even close to it!--and I want to throw up when I think of my Dream Agent. I get jealous when I see people getting book deals. Yes, that's The Dream, that's what I'm working toward, that's what we're all working toward, but it all comes back to writing. Unagented, Agented, Published...it's all about the writing. That's what the focus should be on, always. It's where it starts and where it ends and will be there through the whole journey. If there were ever a time to linger, to learn, to explore and discover our style/voice/process, it's now. I'm talking to myself here, but maybe some of you can relate. Sometimes I just want to get the writing over with so I can do the NEXT THING...but even on The Other Side, the writing itself will still be the next thing.
So, I'm challenging myself to stop focusing so much on what happens after I finish New Novel and save that energy for writing it. To revel in the process, sweatpants, headaches, procrastination and all.
Guys, I'm excited. Writing is awesome.
you make me laugh... love the attitude.. I need a little bit of it this morning.. actually I need it all the time. Just this weekend I finally got the meaning of writing is like opening a vein.. or whatever people say.... sometimes it actually feels like pulling teeth... slowly without novocaine... but when it's out, and on the page.. ahhhhh what a great feeling. :)
ReplyDeletehappy writing
Haha...I totally get the pulling teeth feeling! Crazy highs and crazy lows :)
DeleteI absolutely love love love the feeling you get when you sit back after a writing session and it just *feels* right, when you know you've written something good. Writing is hard, but even when it's hard, it's good. I'm glad you're excited.
ReplyDeleteYES...best feeling ever! I love looking back at a time when the writing was insanely hard, and realizing that I got through it and can do it again. It IS always good :)
DeleteLove the last paragraph "stop focusing so much on what happens after I finish New Novel and save that energy for writing it." SO TRUE. Just write and then whatever comes after comes after. I need this mind set with my new novel because beginnings are hard (as you know) and I just have to write and not think about anything else :)
ReplyDeleteOnce it becomes a goal to get published, it's so hard not to focus on that all the time. Just have fun writing. I'm excited for your new story!
DeleteIt is really easy to lose focus. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteYou speak the truth, sister. I've been guilty of getting caught up in the publishing side of things (even though I'm unpublished) instead of focusing on what I love most -- writing. I recently decided that as long as I can write and enjoy it, I'd be okay with not getting a major Big 6 book deal. Enjoying the ride, not the destination. :)
ReplyDelete