Is it a matter of focus or inspiration? I can'’t tell anymore. When I'’m feeling inspired but I don'’t get anything done then it'’s a focus problem, and vice versa. Today I spent my morning posting pictures and reading a mystery. Then I sat down to write for real and my brain was all over the place - wanting to stop to clip my toenails, to check the weather report, to blow my nose, to see if the earwigs are still hiding in my poppies. I had to force myself not to do the dishes (and I hate doing dishes).
I know where I want the story to go. I think I can feel a worthwhile first draft of the new stuff in me, but I'’m having so much trouble lately actually getting the words on the page. Netta and Seth are trapped in a state of arrival. If I can just let them arrive, then it picks up again with the scenes that I like -– searching for frogs, falling in the mud, the boat on the rocks, all of it.
H suggested working on something else so that I wouldn'’t feel bogged down in the novel and I agreed. But part of me wonders if it'’s actually the opposite problem. I'’ve been letting myself multi-task too much, not forcing myself to really focus on Netta. It'’s like working out, like playing an instrument, like any skill -– you have to practice, but not so much that you get burned out.
So, is it a matter of lack of focus or lack of inspiration?
1 comment:
Hmmm... maybe it IS a matter of focus. If so, how could you immerse yourself in Netta? Can we send you to the San Juans and not let you come back until you are done?
Gloria Steinem once said something about writing that really stuck with me (don't know whether it's her quote originally or not) - she said "Writing is the one thing where, when I'm doing it, I don't feel like I should be doing something else." I don't think that same feeling comes naturally to all of us - but maybe it's something to strive for. When I woke up at midnight last night with ideas for my book, I had to tell myself, nothing is more important than this, not even sleep.
Okay, I fell asleep 15 minutes later, but still, I captured just a little piece of that inspiration on an index card, so the reminder helped.
Maybe we should meet for writing dates where we sit down and make each other stay seated for one hour, doing nothing but writing!
Post a Comment