Butt in the Chair
I've been pretty tired since I turned in Sorceress of Faith and not writing much -- thinking, revising, doing this blog (those are my rationalizations), but not writing and not experiencing the joy that rushes in with a new scene. And I can and do tend to binge write -- settle down a weekend day and write 20 pages (pretty much my upper limit). Yesterday was a good writing day, not many words/pages, but the joy and discovery and satisfaction were there. And that's the reason I write.
Yes, writing is work and writing for publication can be incredibly frustrating, but still, if it isn't fun, why do it?
And despite the above, I am a firm believe of "Butt in the Chair." If you sit there the words will come. They may come in a flood of heady inspiration. They may trickle out like bloody droplets like you've punched a hole in a vein. Or they may start with a trickle and flood, which is pretty fab, too.
I finished the last chapter of Book 1 of my contemporary romance proposal and it went well and I was pleased. It started as a trickle, but I had something to get my fingers into and rip -- a fight between the hero and heroine.
What was really excellent is that I've done a lot of synopsis set-up on this (and now must trim the actual thing) and it paid off with the mulling and thinking and wrenching ideas out of my head in that I learned things in my writing yesterday about my hero and he's (I hope) a pretty cool guy.
And I discovered that my heroine had secret bookshelves hidden behind regular ones. Who knew? And the ending hook was good. So I'm satisfied, and the morning after a good day of writing is also bathed in warm satisfaction, in the knowledge that you did something well yesterday and it can happen again today -- like you have a new lover and the sex is incredible and steady (though I did have a Heart Choice selling-well/writing career anxiety dream).
I must think of my words today for myself as strongly as I mean them for you. Put your butt in the chair and write. Words WILL come.
And you know, those words that drip out from a faulty vein? Usually a reader can't tell them from those rippling streams that the muse grants us. That's professionalism.
Love to all,
Robin
Yes, writing is work and writing for publication can be incredibly frustrating, but still, if it isn't fun, why do it?
And despite the above, I am a firm believe of "Butt in the Chair." If you sit there the words will come. They may come in a flood of heady inspiration. They may trickle out like bloody droplets like you've punched a hole in a vein. Or they may start with a trickle and flood, which is pretty fab, too.
I finished the last chapter of Book 1 of my contemporary romance proposal and it went well and I was pleased. It started as a trickle, but I had something to get my fingers into and rip -- a fight between the hero and heroine.
What was really excellent is that I've done a lot of synopsis set-up on this (and now must trim the actual thing) and it paid off with the mulling and thinking and wrenching ideas out of my head in that I learned things in my writing yesterday about my hero and he's (I hope) a pretty cool guy.
And I discovered that my heroine had secret bookshelves hidden behind regular ones. Who knew? And the ending hook was good. So I'm satisfied, and the morning after a good day of writing is also bathed in warm satisfaction, in the knowledge that you did something well yesterday and it can happen again today -- like you have a new lover and the sex is incredible and steady (though I did have a Heart Choice selling-well/writing career anxiety dream).
I must think of my words today for myself as strongly as I mean them for you. Put your butt in the chair and write. Words WILL come.
And you know, those words that drip out from a faulty vein? Usually a reader can't tell them from those rippling streams that the muse grants us. That's professionalism.
Love to all,
Robin
posted by FantasyAuthor RobinDOwens | 5:56 AM
6 Comments:
My tool is page minimums per day, currently five per day. Often I get on a role after scratching and clawing my way through the first four pages, and then it turns magically into ten.
Blogs are addictive, and can take up your inspiration and time. I learned that the hard way, so be careful! You may at some point back off to posting every other or third day. I'm at twice a week and still the readers come...
(I'm enjoying yours by the way.)
Oh, I have a daily minimum. LOL. Mostly I do it, but when trying to plot, think, mull over new stories, I cut myself some slack.
So far I've been posting in the am and still have the writing time in the pm.
BUT it's light out in the am before work...
Robin
The light helps, doesn't it? I do my most imspired work before 8 am so I try to get some pages in before then - sets the tone for the day. I learned that if they go on the blog, I come up with wonderful posts. Not so great for getting books done...
I so agree with your last statement, btw. I just posted about losing interest in a topic which I know I could write about and sell. Professionalism is making myself do it anyway. People ask me how I write books and I always say there's no magic formula. I just sit there and type, even when I hate what I'm typing.
k, nuff said. Better go WRITE now!
I love this line:
And you know, those words that drip out from a faulty vein? Usually a reader can't tell them from those rippling streams that the muse grants us. That's professionalism.
~~
I bleed...a lot. There are those great scenes that gel instantly, but usually, I have to dredge up a new vein to bleed onto the page. It dribbles out. Plop. Plop. Plop. Then I revise, revise, revise. Hopefully, it looks easy, but in actuality it isn't.
I am hanging that quote near my computer.
Terri
Oooh, the secret bookshelves sound cool. :)
Thanks, folks. The blog is true, and yes, I liked the secret shelves, too, though I'm worrying about whether her character would really have them...I'd better make them very dusty....
Robin
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