I also completely get the feeling of “wasting time” - there have been so many hours that I have planned to write and been thwarted. But I’m learning to relax into a “the story takes as long as it takes” mode. I haven’t worked on my current ms for months but I needed to back away and let the character lead me. Sounds strange, I know.
Watching Stanley Tucci, Vera, The Change, This is Going to Hurt (and Ripley is next). Reading Berlin by Bea Settin and Weathering by Ruth Allen.
No, I don't think it's strange at all. I think sometimes we need to put things on the backburner and give them incubation time to work themselves out. The Change sounds like something for where I'm at!!! Let me know how you find Ripley
I completely understand what you mean when you talked about "wasting time" when it comes to writing. At times it's hard not to feel like you're behind because all of your other writer friends seem so productive, and ironically, getting into this mindset has been the reason I've stopped with projects in the past. It's something I still struggle with quite a bit, but I'm getting better day by day. And you're right— 'eigenzeit' is comforting, in it's own way.
As for right now, I'm in the middle of reading The Spirit Bears Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White. It's delightfully creepy and heartbreaking, and I can't wait to finish it!
Hi Holly, thanks for your comment. It's easy to perceive other writers as more productive than we are, but that could be an illusion. Some writers don't share their struggles so it may appear that they are always on a roll but probably behind closed doors the reality is quite different. In addition, there are so many factors that affect productivity: how many hours we have to work to support ourselves/our families; whether or not we have children or family members to care for and how much energy that requires; whether or not we have a partner that supports our creative lives; and whether we have health or mental health issues that drain our batteries. Realistically, I usually have only a couple of hours for writing each week, and so I may appear not very productive to others, but if I'm using the time I have well, it can be enough for me to feel satisfied. I totally understand the trap of comparing ourselves to others (hence my last post) but when I can move away from that and compare my outputs to my goals, or where I was at a point in the past, that can be more helpful.
The Spirit Bears its Teeth is a wonderful title but it sounds too scary for me!
I also completely get the feeling of “wasting time” - there have been so many hours that I have planned to write and been thwarted. But I’m learning to relax into a “the story takes as long as it takes” mode. I haven’t worked on my current ms for months but I needed to back away and let the character lead me. Sounds strange, I know.
Watching Stanley Tucci, Vera, The Change, This is Going to Hurt (and Ripley is next). Reading Berlin by Bea Settin and Weathering by Ruth Allen.
No, I don't think it's strange at all. I think sometimes we need to put things on the backburner and give them incubation time to work themselves out. The Change sounds like something for where I'm at!!! Let me know how you find Ripley
I completely understand what you mean when you talked about "wasting time" when it comes to writing. At times it's hard not to feel like you're behind because all of your other writer friends seem so productive, and ironically, getting into this mindset has been the reason I've stopped with projects in the past. It's something I still struggle with quite a bit, but I'm getting better day by day. And you're right— 'eigenzeit' is comforting, in it's own way.
As for right now, I'm in the middle of reading The Spirit Bears Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White. It's delightfully creepy and heartbreaking, and I can't wait to finish it!
Hi Holly, thanks for your comment. It's easy to perceive other writers as more productive than we are, but that could be an illusion. Some writers don't share their struggles so it may appear that they are always on a roll but probably behind closed doors the reality is quite different. In addition, there are so many factors that affect productivity: how many hours we have to work to support ourselves/our families; whether or not we have children or family members to care for and how much energy that requires; whether or not we have a partner that supports our creative lives; and whether we have health or mental health issues that drain our batteries. Realistically, I usually have only a couple of hours for writing each week, and so I may appear not very productive to others, but if I'm using the time I have well, it can be enough for me to feel satisfied. I totally understand the trap of comparing ourselves to others (hence my last post) but when I can move away from that and compare my outputs to my goals, or where I was at a point in the past, that can be more helpful.
The Spirit Bears its Teeth is a wonderful title but it sounds too scary for me!