Another great post, Steve and definitely something I'm grappling with again at the moment. I've finished* one project and I'm trying to get some momentum on something new but feel like I'm forcing it a bit. I need a break, to 'go back to the well' as someone more articulate than me described it, and let the story idea properly develop. I know all that intellectually, yet still I feel guilty that I haven't been able to do any 'proper writing' for a couple of weeks. This post has reminded me to be kinder to myself and trust in the process.
Mornings or late night seem to be my time to write, and whilst I have the best of intentions to write pages and pages, my success rate differs from day to day. I try to finish my writing day knowing where I'm going, so that I can pick up writing the next day (rather than sit there scratching my head).
If I'm finding it hard to get going I find it's good to write something - if there's something on my mind, I'll write about it, just to get the cogs turning. I also try to watch a film/tv show, listen to music and read books - if they're good or bad, they're still inspiring. I also have to listen to music when writing. Before I was married and had kids, it was relatively easy to get the work done.
But ultimately, it's about getting my arse into the chair - I can make all sorts of excuses, do all those jobs that I would normally run from - but I know if I've done a good day's writing or not. If I'm finding writing slow-going, I need to figure out the problem (as 9 times out of 10 it's due to a problem: character usually). I often find the answers come when I'm doing a mundane job like washing up - my mind is always chattering, even when I'm not really paying attention (a bit like a computer program running in the background).
I tend not to write much at weekends, but I also try not to beat myself up about. We all have lives to live! But I do find if I've not written for a few days it can affect me personally - I don't know if it's a backlog in my brain, but I find writing good for my mental health, so I know I have to do it.
Thanks for sharing, I think I'd prefer a daily schedule like this. I'm a pantster too so I dont have everything mapped out!
Another great post, Steve and definitely something I'm grappling with again at the moment. I've finished* one project and I'm trying to get some momentum on something new but feel like I'm forcing it a bit. I need a break, to 'go back to the well' as someone more articulate than me described it, and let the story idea properly develop. I know all that intellectually, yet still I feel guilty that I haven't been able to do any 'proper writing' for a couple of weeks. This post has reminded me to be kinder to myself and trust in the process.
*Is anything ever finished, really??
Mornings or late night seem to be my time to write, and whilst I have the best of intentions to write pages and pages, my success rate differs from day to day. I try to finish my writing day knowing where I'm going, so that I can pick up writing the next day (rather than sit there scratching my head).
If I'm finding it hard to get going I find it's good to write something - if there's something on my mind, I'll write about it, just to get the cogs turning. I also try to watch a film/tv show, listen to music and read books - if they're good or bad, they're still inspiring. I also have to listen to music when writing. Before I was married and had kids, it was relatively easy to get the work done.
But ultimately, it's about getting my arse into the chair - I can make all sorts of excuses, do all those jobs that I would normally run from - but I know if I've done a good day's writing or not. If I'm finding writing slow-going, I need to figure out the problem (as 9 times out of 10 it's due to a problem: character usually). I often find the answers come when I'm doing a mundane job like washing up - my mind is always chattering, even when I'm not really paying attention (a bit like a computer program running in the background).
I tend not to write much at weekends, but I also try not to beat myself up about. We all have lives to live! But I do find if I've not written for a few days it can affect me personally - I don't know if it's a backlog in my brain, but I find writing good for my mental health, so I know I have to do it.