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Friday, August 7, 2009

When the Writing Won't be Rushed

Sometimes, I wish I could write more in a day than I am able to. I mean, right now, I have TIME to write. That is the most important commodity, andI am missing it most of the school year. When school is in session, I have to snitch little snippets of time here and there to get any writing done. I sit at my desk during lunch at school, typing away. I dash off a couple of lines before I make dinner (which is always far too late in the day in this house!). Any chance I get, I squeeze in what words I can.

So, now I have time....and after half an hour, I am blown. I hit a road block.

Which is kind of a bummer.

Except that when I sit down to try again later (sometimes the next day) the road block is gone. Suddenly (or not so suddenly), I have new ideas or have managed to wiggle my way out of the difficult writing place. It is like my conscious mind keeps creating problems in my writing (not bad problems, more like conundrums........) and it takes my subconscious time to figure out what needs to happen next.

This is all pretty good, actually. It fits the fact that I write in small chunks.......EXCEPT when I have TIME like NOW. But the writing will not be rushed. Because when I try to rush it, it sounds like I am rushing it.

And I hate when I write like that.

Worse is when the perfect idea is sitting out there (Chicken Wizard and the Egg of Destiny, Extra Super Cranky Lady, I AM talking about you guys!) but when you try to start it, the prose sounds stiff, forced or (cringe) trying too hard. I wonder how long it is possible to sit in the chair and write.

Rereading this, it is just really a gratuitous whiny post....probably brought on by the whole SCBWI thing.

(I have been reading the scbwi blog and it does kind of make me feel like I am there.....except for the elbow rubbing with the stars.)

hrh

8 comments:

Corey Schwartz said...

It's okay to whine. I think we all feel that way sometimes. There are days when I sit at my computer for hours and write nothing and then I am racked with guilt. (If I was going to accomplish nothing, I could have at least cleaned the house for my husband)

But that's a writer's life.

Stephanie Faris said...

Ahhhh yes, isn't that always the way? Then you feel inspired to write but everyone else in your life needs you at that moment and doesn't understand you just need alone time to get the words out!

storyqueen said...

The problem is, I actually have lots of time right now, but my "writing stamina" is pretty poor. I just can't get as much done as I'd hoped because.....well.......I guess I'm a weenie!

Shelley

Unknown said...

yep. i understand. i have 2 yr old twin boys.
love your blog. i'm following you now. you should pop over/follow mine. i have all things books...
nice meeting you.
xo

lisa and laura said...

I have limits on how much writing/revising I can do in one day. Even if I'm in the mood to write I usually can't write more than one scene in a sitting. My brain starts to fry or something.

Houston A.W. Knight said...

Oh, I could join in this whine...I'm doing the blank gaze right now with my new story...this has never happened to me before so I'm a little put off and hope it moves on before much more time goes by.
So, whine all you want...I'll be hearing you and sympathizing with you all the way.

LOL - but I'm told we're only allowed to do the whine for 24 hours and then we have to get over it and get writing. :-)
O.K, so if you didn't know this rule then we'll start the whine........NOW! O.k., you've got 24 hours!

I'll check back later!
LOL
Hawk

storyqueen said...

Kelly-two year old twins......yikes! Do they ever let you sit and write?

L and L- (we have a Hawaiian BBQ place here named L and L, they have a thing called the Moco Loco....don't know why I included that tidbit) All I make sure I do it get to the top of the next page....but just not getting that many pages done.

Hawk-What a cool name. If I had a choice between starting a WIP or ending one, I'd rather start!! Finishing is much harder for me!

Thank you all for stopping by!

Unknown said...

lol, sometimes.
xo