The Aftermath of Creativity

Chatsworth, England, in autumn

How do you feel after a writing session? Do you feel like you have all the energy of a two-year-old hyped up on Skittles? Or do you feel like you've just run a marathon and want to collapse in a heap on the couch?

I took advantage of a recent lunch break at work to get some writing done on the novel. I was very pleased with the results - I wrote 1,500 words during that time: good, solid words. I loved the scene and how it moved the story forward.

But afterwards, I felt drained. Sitting at my desk became a chore and I longed to take a nap. Not possible, of course, when you have the rest of the work day to get through.

Yet there are days when I write and after I'm finished, I feel the opposite. Perhaps not bursting with energy, exactly, but at least not in the mood for a nap.

Maybe it all depends on what I'm writing. For example, the scene I wrote was an emotional one between my two main characters. I think I feel more drained than usual because it took more mental energy to compose.

What about you? How do you feel after a writing session? Does it depend on what you wrote?

Writing Growth

I'm editing the first chapter of the novel for my critique group. We're meeting this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it.

Editing is always the best part of writing for me. That's when I get to play - with words, ideas, themes, etc. It's where I expand on those kernels of ideas I wrote down to begin with and flesh 'em all out to create a cohesive work of art.

In this particular novel, I find I'm digging deeper into my characters' lives, the themes of the work overall, and even how the setting plays an important role in the story. This is a growth moment for me. When I look back at my other novels, I don't see that same depth - which is probably why they will never be published. And really, that's ok. Growing in the writing craft is paramount to becoming a better writer. It's all part of the process.

Have you noticed any growth in your writing lately?

Autumn, How I Adore Thee

What is your favorite part about autumn?

Triumph!

This weekend, with two wonderful days stretched out in front of me with nothing much to do, I determined I would not let the time get away from me.

And so, I set to work.

I wrote 3,200 words on Saturday and 1,500 words on Sunday.

Not as much as I had hoped, but I did make room for a walk, grocery shopping, church and a church BBQ, my daughter's play date, time with the hubby, and of course, a nap.

All in all, a success.

Have you had any recent writing successes?

Time Trap

Over Labor Day weekend, I had hours and hours of time to write. Yet I only managed 2,000 words - and I did all that on Monday. In true Melissa-fashion, I waited until the last minute to get the writing done.

Sometimes, I get really frustrated with myself. Yes, there's a time to relax and spend time with your family, and it's crucial to our overall well-being. But there's also a time to write. And I didn't nearly do enough of it.

When I was a stay-at-home mom ten years ago after my daughter was born, I thought I would have oodles of time to write. And I did have oodles of time. Yet I didn't finish the novel. I procrastinated and put it off, thinking, "Oh, I'll do it tomorrow. I have all the time in the world!"

I did the same thing this last weekend. Instead of writing, I thought about writing, but instead, I took naps, read my book, played on the Internet, spent time with my family, went to church, exercised, etc. All of this is fine, of course. But I kept saying to myself, "Oh, I'll write later. I have all weekend!"

As it transpired, later turned into Monday morning. I wrote a bit in the a.m., then stopped and took a nap, then piddled around for another few hours before getting back to the keyboard. The result? A measly (to me) 2,000 words.

Why do we this to ourselves? Why do we waste hours and hours of free time putting off doing something we love? When I am in the midst of my writing, I love it (most of the time). So why should I take great steps to avoid it?

I guess it comes back to the whole concept of resistance that Steven Pressfield talks about in his book, The War of Art. I'm glad I'm not alone in this struggle, but boy, sometimes I wish it were easier to overcome.

How about you? Do you find yourself falling in this time trap?

A Day to Write

Here in the U.S., it's Labor Day. And it's also the first day off work I've had in months! (well, not counting that whole surgery thing...)

How do I plan to spend my day? Writing, of course!

You?

When Did You Start Writing?

I'm curious.

When did you start writing?

Was it in elementary school (like me) where you scribbled stories and illustrated them with colors or markers? Or was it in junior high when you filled pages and pages with angst-filled poetry? (guilty again). College? After your first job?

You can read about my writing journey here.

I've been writing seriously since the 6th grade. Wow. That's a long time.

I love this writing life. Love, love, love it. Wouldn't have it any other way!

So when did the writing bug bite you?

Accountability: Do You Need It?

Photo found via my good friend, Diane

I was very pleased over the weekend to write around 4,000 words on my novel. In fact, I had to force myself to quit at 11:30 last evening so I could go to bed and not be a zombie at work today.

I've been having trouble motivating myself, so I decided to ask a few of my writing friends if they wouldn't mind doing a little bit of a challenge over the weekend. Mine was fairly simple: finish chapter six. Well, I did that and continued on, loving that I was actually writing again instead of just talking about it. Too often I go in fits and starts with my writing, and if I could just get my writing brain on an even keel, why, I'd be a happy gal (I suspect if I ever find the secret formula to this, I will be rich).

I'm also happy to report that I will be part of a three-person, face-to-face critique group starting in September, and that will give me additional accountability.

Maybe I'm just one of those people who needs the accountability from other people in order to get myself to work.

What about you? Do you need to be held accountable to other people or just yourself where your writing is concerned?

Ode to the Walk

The walking path to Chatsworth in England from my Oct. 08 trip

Noted novelist Barbara Samuel has a great post up at the awesome Writer Unboxed blog (which, if you aren't reading, get thee over there), about the relationship between writing and walking. She just recently returned from a trip to England where she spent the entire month walking around villages and the beautiful countryside, soaking up the sights and sounds and smells of everything around her.

I love to walk. I live next to a duck and geese pond (two of them, actually) and there is a beautiful walking trail sheltered by towering trees and full of scurrying bunnies and squirrels, talkative birds, and the occasional bright red cardinal. (And one cannot forget the simply adorable dogs who greet me from behind their fenced yards).

My favorite time of the day to walk is just when the sun is beginning to make its descent into dusk. Everything is thrown into sharp relief and nature knows it is time to settle in for the night. The ducks curl their feet underneath them and hide their babies beneath their wings while the geese gather in large groups and stop their frantic search for food. The cicadas, however, began their nightly chanting and in some spots, it is so loud as to be overwhelming. But to me, that is the sound of summer.

There have been many times I've struggled with a plot problem and after a walk, the solution comes to me. Other times, I don't think about my novel at all and just enjoy my surroundings, which, when you think about it, also helps me as a writer to connect more fully with my senses. Who doesn't love the sound of baked leaves crunching underfoot, or the sight of a squirrel darting away from an approaching dog, or the smell of lilacs wafting through the air, sweeter than any store-bought perfume?   

Walks can bring us closer to nature, which in turn, can bring us closer to our Creator. And for me, the Creator (God) has given me the gift of writing - which is a creation unto itself - and the walk, the nature, and the writing all intersects in a great circle of creativity, working together to help me be the best writer I can be.

Do you take walks? Where are some of your favorite spots?

August Edition: What Are You Reading?

It's just too darn hot to even think straight, so today's post will require little from you, my dear readers.

So here's the question for today:

What are you reading?

Me: Enigma, by Robert Harris. A WWII thriller about Bletchley Park and the race to crack the Enigma codes. Good stuff.

Up next: a few Agatha Christie mysteries featuring Miss Marple!

Your turn!

A Few Snapshots and News

Yesterday at work, I noticed something rather cool. I work on the 15th floor of an office building and a praying mantis had managed to make his way up to my window ledge. He didn't seem to mind me snapping his picture, although in the one above, he does look as though he's a bit annoyed with me.

Not so with my cat, however. She looks like she owns the world in this photo. She's only half-right. She pretty much owns us.

I don't have much to report right now except that I'm planning to switch gears on the novel-writing front and work on my fourth novel right now while leaving the fifth (the WW2 thriller) to simmer for awhile. The fourth novel, also set during WW2, is much easier to write (not all the twists and turns of the thriller) and I need that right now.

School started yesterday for my daughter. She is a big 5th grader now. She looked quite mature walking up the sidewalk to her school and no, I didn't cry, but I did cry the night before. Amazing how fast they grow.

With the coming of school, I'm looking at settling back into a semi-routine now. I think I function best in a routine, though it was rather nice not to have to deal with the whole getting ready for school thing for a few months.

What's the news on your end?