I'm struggling a little with my writing, which is rare. My routines have been totally disrupted over the last couple months. The weather has been the worst problem. I tied my writing process a little too closely to my daily walks in the desert. I haven't been able to walk for months and it's been hard to establish a new routine.
Selling Linda's store was complicated and stressful. I've had to work at my own store more, and that will probably continue. Selling a book to a major publisher was very stressful. After the acceptance, I was so charged up I couldn't do anything for a few days. Linda very much wants to move to a new house this spring, and that will probably be the most stressful and disruptive of all.
All of these things have been "Hurry up and wait."
I had a good string of four years of writing, especially the first two years. The last two years have been fruitful too, and I'm probably a better writer these days.
Anyway, rather than tackle a full novel, I decided to write another novella in the "Tales of the Thirteen Principalities." ("Said the Joker, to the Thief" was the first novella.) I decided to write about the Toad King because I liked him so much as a character.
However, I didn't think it out much more than that. So I've hit the halfway point and I'm feeling stuck, like it isn't going where I want it to go.
I'm throwing out yesterday's chapter and trying something new. I introduced a character called Scoundrel, but he's just a stock fantasy character, a strong and silent warrior, Conan-like. I thought it over last night and decided to change him to a physically weak guy, so honorable he's almost simple-minded, but incredibly brave. I'm calling him Quarry.
"Because he is hunted?" I ask.
Marna snorts. "No...because he's a rock. You ever tried talking to a rock?"
In other words, I'm trying to feel my way. Inspiration isn't coming to me, so I need to be sure I don't just put out something bland.
The place they meet Quarry is on top of a mountain, but again it felt kind of generic. I'm rethinking that as well. I decided that my model should be Frodo and Sam meeting Faramir. Those were some great scenes in LOTR. I need to be more original.
I'm hoping my process will come back to me, that it's just because I've been interrupted so much lately, not because I've lost it. But I don't want to force it, even if what I write is 80% of the way there. Eventually, if I have to, I will do that.
But for now, I'd like to have that feeling of inspiration I've mostly had over the last few years. I'd like that flow to return, and I need to find ways to incubate it, despite all the disruptions.
Selling Linda's store was complicated and stressful. I've had to work at my own store more, and that will probably continue. Selling a book to a major publisher was very stressful. After the acceptance, I was so charged up I couldn't do anything for a few days. Linda very much wants to move to a new house this spring, and that will probably be the most stressful and disruptive of all.
All of these things have been "Hurry up and wait."
I had a good string of four years of writing, especially the first two years. The last two years have been fruitful too, and I'm probably a better writer these days.
Anyway, rather than tackle a full novel, I decided to write another novella in the "Tales of the Thirteen Principalities." ("Said the Joker, to the Thief" was the first novella.) I decided to write about the Toad King because I liked him so much as a character.
However, I didn't think it out much more than that. So I've hit the halfway point and I'm feeling stuck, like it isn't going where I want it to go.
I'm throwing out yesterday's chapter and trying something new. I introduced a character called Scoundrel, but he's just a stock fantasy character, a strong and silent warrior, Conan-like. I thought it over last night and decided to change him to a physically weak guy, so honorable he's almost simple-minded, but incredibly brave. I'm calling him Quarry.
"Because he is hunted?" I ask.
Marna snorts. "No...because he's a rock. You ever tried talking to a rock?"
In other words, I'm trying to feel my way. Inspiration isn't coming to me, so I need to be sure I don't just put out something bland.
The place they meet Quarry is on top of a mountain, but again it felt kind of generic. I'm rethinking that as well. I decided that my model should be Frodo and Sam meeting Faramir. Those were some great scenes in LOTR. I need to be more original.
I'm hoping my process will come back to me, that it's just because I've been interrupted so much lately, not because I've lost it. But I don't want to force it, even if what I write is 80% of the way there. Eventually, if I have to, I will do that.
But for now, I'd like to have that feeling of inspiration I've mostly had over the last few years. I'd like that flow to return, and I need to find ways to incubate it, despite all the disruptions.