The past month has been crazy as I prepared for the Agents’ and Editors’ conference, but I came back fired up from all that time with fellow writers. I plowed into my current projects: revising, laying out, and organizing. I set up my calender for the next several months.
I love when I get that much energy and fire to do my work. However, I also know that to be most effective, I need to take a certain amount of time off. Otherwise, I get burned out, cranky, and obnoxious (well, more than usual).
A few days ago we hopped a plane and are visiting family in Illinois. We are away from the searing Texas heat, and the pace of our visit allows us a lot of downtime.
Somewhere deep in the recesses of my brain, neurons are firing, solving problems with manuscripts, thinking about changes to the layout, and dreaming of new writing. I know that when I get home, rested and refreshed, I will have new and better ideas for my work. It never fails.
For me personally, part of being a writer has been to give up my Puritanical work ethic and to focus more on flowing with the writing. I value my ability to be consistent and organized–these qualities keep me on track. But cultivating the qualities of pacing, rest, and gentleness will make the writing I do better and more pleasurable.
Hey there! This post is great – I absolutely identify with the Texas heat and your entire last two paragraphs! On Monday, I am beginning the process of assembling the second draft of my first novel, after lots and lots of character development and plot tweaking. It’s been fun, and so interesting, because I, too, am learning how to balance my work ethic with just flowing with the writing. I’m excited I stumbled upon your blog (which has the same layout as mine, by the way – it caught me off guard!), and look forward to reading more in the… Read more »
Thanks for finding me and good luck on Second Draft Day! I checked out your blog, and it’s awesome. I look forward to reading more…and following your book’s progress. May your writing be smooth and your lattes yummy!
“cultivating the qualities of pacing, rest, and gentleness will make the writing I do better and more pleasurable.” Could not agree more. The only time I have gotten blocked writing is when I am trying to produce. If I let things be, it just flows. And for me, if a piece doesn’t flow, it won’t matter how many times I re-write it, I know it won’t be right.