I haven’t worked on any of my WIPs in weeks.
This is probably the worst I’ve been at working on a short story or novel since I went and took it seriously back in late 2011. Before that I wrote when the occasion struck me, but after self-publishing a short story collection, Night Sighs, back in November 2011, I copped myself on. From then I wrote weekly and published fairly frequently, or at least I tried to.
Now, when I finish work every evening, I open up a word doc and shrug my shoulders, and think, “I’ll watch an episode of Supernatural or The Walking Dead instead”.
And the same thing is happening at the weekend. Two lovely long days stretch ahead of me when I finish the day job on a Friday evening, and I tell myself I’ll easily get a few thousand words done. But no, not lately. Cinema, weddings, meeting up with friends, spending time with family and my new nephew…. all much more appealing these days than writing.
Is it just that I’m lazy? Or is it something more? I have a novel I wrote years ago that’s badly in need of a polish, the beautiful cover artwork for it demanding to be shown to the world, but I can’t muster the concern to plow on and finish it. I have the first draft of the sequel to Night Sighs, Night Whispers, ready to be edited, yet I can’t summon the willpower to even look at the first page. Whatever is going on, I’m hoping it will pass soon. Maybe by this time next month, I’ll be soldiering on. And until then, I’m happy to keep up my blog, visit all of yours, and watch some more good TV.
Hope all you writers out there are faring better?
***
Emma's Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction 
I’m glad it’s not just me! I’ve been having the worst time of it lately trying to get new words down. I feel like I should feel bad about it, but really I’m so exhausted from work that I don’t want to do anything but veg out. I’m not sure how to snap out of it, but I swear I’ll try to this weekend…after watching a few favorite movies, of course.
Hi Liz. I don’t feel very bad about it either at the moment, but there’s a tinge of worry in the back of my mind that I need to get moving. I’ll start this weekend too, also after some good TV, of course. 🙂
That math checks out 😀
Unfortunately, it does.
Sometimes you just need a break. Wipe the mind clean and get a fresh look at things. Enjoy the laziness and TV, maybe there is a reason you are watching.?.
Thanks Sherry. Maybe I’m watching to get inspired.
I agree with Sherry. Sometimes you just need a break to get the energy back again. And, honestly, it is so rough balancing work, family and writing. Sometimes you just have to kick back and take some of the pressure off. Enjoy it. You’ll be back to writing when you’re ready.
I need to do something anyway to get those creative energy juices flowing. I’m just enjoying the break at the moment, and have made a pact to pick back up in April. Thanks Mae.
Well you are not alone. I’ve struggled the same this past month. Only it was all of Season one of The Following. I however, gave myself a deadline that I must NOT ignore if I want to stay on track. And I did just submit my first page to a writing contest today, so that’s something.
I’d stay and chat Walking Dead with you, but I must get back to editing. *sigh, waves goodbye*
Phew. Least I’m not the only one. Damn all that good television. 🙂
Well done on submitting that page. That’s showing motivation right there, Jess. Good luck with the editing. Reward yourself with some chocolate after.
I so get where you’re coming from! I’m a tv addict and while I agree that sometimes we just need a break, there are other times we just need a kick in the butt. 😁
For myself I have a mantra that I repeat everyday when I need it.
‘I am a disciplined and motivated writer.’
Even though I so wasn’t this, I found telling myself this helped me become disciplined and motivated. Try it. It might work.
I’m going to copy that mantra Trish, starting the end of this month. 😉 I will try it, thanks.
I’ve been on an extended break, and while it was probably needed, that kick in the butt you speak of is just as needed now.
Yeah, it’s not just me. I got so bogged down editing that I’ve not made any time to write anything. Not a poem or a short story. The ideas keep popping in to say hi, but then something else pushes them away. I keep saying, “tomorrow”, but tomorrow just ends up like yesterday. Hmmm, maybe tomorrow will be the day, oh wait, I’ve got work and more prior engagements to attend too. Grrrrr, but good luck to you in refinding your word wizadry.
No Hubbard, it’s definitely not just you. We need to just give ourselves a slap and get on with it. Hope you’re at least enjoying those prior engagements.
Best of luck with the editing. The thought of it at the moment makes me queasy.
Your brain may just need a break Emma. Your writing will be that much better for it. And Daryll, who can resist him. My heart just broke when he was sitting at that crossroad. Give the guy a break, already!
I know I can’t resist him Laura. And yes, mine too – poor fella. He’s my number one reason I still watch The Walking Dead, so if the writers ever kill him off, I’ll have a spare hour every week to focus on writing. 🙂
I think if they ever do kill him off it will be when they know the series is ending. Carl will probably be the last man standing. I’m with you. If Daryll goes, I go! I bet they never knew how important and loved he would become:)
Distracted
While attempting
Poetry
at my desk one day,
fighting off the usual
bears, wolves
and other dangerous
beasts of the Internet
between
the Muse and me;
from
the teeth of twitter,
a ferociously distracting
animal,
there leapt out
Billy Collins, Poet,
speaking of Poetry.
Losing myself
in his
captivating flow of words
I ended
Poetically satisfied,
but also
Poetically wishing
I had not been
ambushed by
dingoes of distraction,
and had instead
written a
Poem.
Lovely poem as always, Kevin. Beasts of the internet indeed!
AS you can see from the above i totally understand, we are only now watching Breaking Bad, totally addictive and distracting. For what it’s worth the only time I met Seamus Heaney I asked him how did he balance the needs of daily life and living with the needs of being a poet, he said, “I don’t know!” Years later I don’t know either, does anyone?
I’m always hearing great things about Breaking Bad. Perhaps over the summer I’ll find some time to start that series. I like Seamus’ answer.
I like the sounds of a mantra being a bit of a yogi myself. But going by everyone’s comments to your current Blog Emma I am so glad I am not alone I currently feel a bit of a numb skull at present. My own writing having to be left my excuse is a Laptop problem with a nervous wreck of fingers and a mind of is it going to happen again. :((
But seriously we are doing so much to keep our minds ticking over then we have a families that require attention (an excuse then another) I would defiantly say that you are not a couch potato Emma I also think you just need a break to rest the brain cogs and coils so you can carry on….. But Please keep our interests going as you have Emma
Hey Debs. What is going on with us all at the moment? Maybe it’s the strange weather messing with our creativity. Thanks for saying I’m not a couch potato, but I so am. 🙂 Heading over to your blog now to say hello.
Hang in there, Emma. You obviously just need a break and once you’ve stopped worrying over why you’re feeling this way, your creative juices will once again flow. For now, relax. It’s probably what you’ve needed for a while. 🙂
Sorry for replying so late, didn’t see your comment. Thanks, Sandra. Your support means a lot to me.
Emma
You need to write cuz the world needs your voice.
Best
Jo-Ann
Cheers, Jo-Ann. That’s a lovely thing to hear.
Well I think everyone needs a break every once in a while. A break is needed to recharge batteries, and look at things from a fresh perspective. It’s like studying something for an exam, you could be looking at one question for hours, and you’ll never find the answer….but when you go away for a while, come back, look at it again, and bam!-you can see the answer as clear as day! Therefore I would apply the same to writing, you need a break to have fresh eyes, ears and brain to begin anew with great original ideas, which I’ve no doubt you will come up with! So after that advice, I now say to you Emma, Get your butt off the couch and start writing :D, as the lovely lady said above, ‘the world needs your voice!’ 🙂
Thank you, Laura.;) I have been doing a bit here and there this week, so determined to get back on track and off my butt before the end of March. And I like that exam analogy – very true.