Writing
is not a full time occupation, at least not for most authors. Most of us don’t
have that luxury. We have to juggle day jobs, our own families, sometimes
elderly parents, outside commitments or events, all while trying to steal a few
precious minutes to work on our books. (Usually it’s in the dead of night when
everyone else is asleep.)
Can
you tell I need to vent today?
Sometimes
writing is just impossible. I came close to strangling my husband last weekend when
he said to me, ‘Hey honey, we don’t have to be at my boss’s annual BBQ bash for
an hour yet. Go write.’
IT’S
NOT THAT EASY!
The
muse can’t be summoned at your whim. An author needs time to unwind from real
life, block out the world and looming life deadlines (like that mandatory BBQ bash)
and get into the “zone” of writing the story. I need to submerse myself in my
fictional world, enter that magical door and look around. That’s the ‘Oh yeah,
I remember this!’ moment when we can finally start to write.
That
moment doesn’t come easily.
Just
now, my husband ran out the door saying, ‘I’m going to see my dad. Be back in
an hour. Then we really have to start working on our income taxes.’
Crap!
Instead of screaming, I sat down to write. But then I realized I had this blog
to finish (another deadline) before I could concentrate on my latest futuristic
romance, Programmed For Power, book three in my Tau Cetus Chronicles. So I guess Theus, the powerful premier of Tau
Cetus, will just have to wait.
And
I don’t like to make him wait.
Sometimes
I fantasize about divorce. Having all my time be my own. Having time to write, to
do what I want to do, not what everyone else needs me to do.
Then
I realize that fiction might be my passion, but family is my priority.
And
that’s as it should be.
Still,
sometimes I’m reminded of that old saying, “Sometimes I just sits and thinks,
and sometimes I just sits.”
Oh,
for the luxury of just being able to sit and do nothing!!!
Nah,
I’d probably be bored out of my mind.
Sigh.
Life happens. But I guess that’s what makes it so interesting.
Until
next month,
Jenna
9 comments:
I know exactly what you are talking about! A dear friend passed away recently. First there were the days of grieving and thinking. Then the trip for the memorial. Then more grieving and thinking. There was absolutely no way I could write one word, or for that matter even open the document. Ten days later and I'm only beginning to think about doing some writing, but I've still got to actually open the doc. ;)
Hope you find some time soon, and when you do that the muse shows up.
I feel for you, Leigh! I can tell you every hour of the last couple weeks I spent preparing to visit the tax man, I also spent grumbling about how I was not WRITING. Some writers I know really can zip out a couple chapters while waiting in the pick-up line at school or sitting in the orthodontist's office, but I'm not one of 'em. I'm like you. I need to step through that door to my fictional world and close it behind me, with no strict ETA back to the real world. So...looks like we'll be writing in the dead of night for a while. ;)
I just finished our taxes this morning. Talk about killing the muse!
I have several writing projects I need to work on, but I need some time to get my head out of numbers mode and into words mode.
Best of luck to you.
Leigh, I totally feel for you. Unfortunately, I find that the problem doesn't go away when you're blessed with more time, as I am. I struggle with ideas, have to rewrite everything a zillion times and seem to make progress at the pace of a glacier. You authors who produce fabulous works while juggling the crazy schedule I had back when my kids were young and I was working for others are my heroines & heroes. So don't get divorced! The extra time does not necessarily result in more productivity, I promise. :-)
Hugs. I know what you're going through. I've just started writing again after months being "on call" for my elderly parents. It's slow going.
I think you'd miss your hubby, so you'll probably want to keep him around :)
And I need to start looking at my taxes. It does kill the muse, doesn't it?
You've really struck a chord with every writer with this one, Leigh. Some days I congratulate myself if I can write a paragraph. But I know in the end that what's really important are my family and friends. If I take care of that, everything else will fall into whatever place it was bound to fall into.
Thanks so much for your comments, everyone! Misery loves company, and it's reassuring to know you've all experienced something similar. And don't worry, I've decided not to divorce my husband :)
Jenna
Yep and let me just say being single doesn't make it any easier. There are still family issues, from adult children (how in the heck did they get so needy?) to elderly parents to volunteer hours and the day job and the kitty litter box which won't empty itself. My biggest dream right now? A roomba so that the place will vacuum itself.
LOL, Mia!!!
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