Tip of the day: Have a safe and happy fourth of July!
I’m guessing most people are off making potato salad or cupcakes or something else equally delicious, preparing for the big day tomorrow, so I’m going to make today’s post short.
I still haven’t written anything new in quite a long time. Honestly, writing in the summer is hard for me. I love summer. Summer time in Oregon is beautiful, and the sun and warmth pull me outside, even if it’s simply to sit on my patio reading a book.
There was a time when I would beat myself up if I didn’t write every day, no matter what. Well, not anymore. As I get older, I realize, life is short. I do love writing, but I also love a lot of other things too. Some day, a few months from now, the rain will return and I know it will be much easier to go to the computer, open the document, and dive in.
I’ve learned over the years that I write in spurts. I’ll have a couple of months where I go full-speed on a manuscript, writing every spare second I have. Then, I’ll have a few months where I don’t write anything.
This works for me. And that’s the important thing. I truly believe we each need to find what works well for us and not worry about what others are doing.
So for now, I’m not writing. And I've realized I’m perfectly okay with that.
What about you? Do you write every day no matter what, or does your writing go in waves, like mine?
~Lisa, Miss Crafting a Career
6 comments:
It's works differently for me, depending on what genre I'm writing in. When I'm doing non-fiction, I'm super disciplined and write every day, keep a personal deadline and all that. But now that I'm trying my hand at fiction, I find myself writing in spurts. Though I sit down every day to write, I may only get a paragraph or (if I'm really lucky) a few pages. It's very hard not to beat myself up about my lack of production, but I try to remember that writing non-fiction and fiction are different kinds of skills.
Car -- that's interesting, the dif b/t nf and fic.
I used to write every day before I had my agent. I wanted to produce and succeed so badly that I was especially driven to keep on writing. Now that my agent is subbing for me and I have a few good novels in the hopper, I feel I can take the time to relax or take a break as needed.
I try to write everyday, even if it's only a sentence. I do think it's important to do what works for you, though. I have a hard time remembering the story and stuff if I leave it for too long.
I don't write everyday. Even when I'm really chugging, I need a couple days off a week or else I feel too much like All Work and No Play Makes Kate Dull Dull Dull. With your output, Lisa, whatever you are doing must be working!
I like to write in spurts as well, and summer is always a hard time to write.
Spurts. Definitely. Dry periods can last 2 months at a time, then...remarkable activity. Life likes to intervene sometimes. Often, actually.
Post a Comment