MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT

Hello All,
I wanted to take a moment to reflect on making every moment count when it comes to your writing. As writers, we often think that if we can't get in one solid hour of page filling work, then we've been completely useless. We've all done it. Hell, I've gone through the roller coaster of self-hatred when I just couldn't get any words on the page...no matter what I tried. But I think it's time to let go of that archaic thinking and expand our minds to be more forgiving and more open.

Last night, I was at work until 4:00 pm, I had to miss my workout, and then I had my lovely (and yet rowdy) niece with me until my mom came to relieve me around 8:00 pm. With eating, de-stressing, and evening rituals to do, I thought there would be no way for me to get in the hour of writing time I'd planned for. But instead of pouting and beating myself up, I sat down and got in thirty minutes. It wasn't much, and I only got through about three pages of work, but it was farther along than when I woke up that morning...and it was enough work to get me to the next scene of my story, which I'm really excited to write.

Then it hit me...even a few moments of quiet writing time, on top of one another, is better than none. I need to evolve and do something if I truly want to be productive. I can't always wait around for the perfect conditions. Sometimes I have to push forward.

I went to sleep last night feeling good, with a new mindset for the future.

Happy Writing!!!

EMOTIONS AND WRITING

Hello All!

This weekend I got to thinking on the different factors that affect a person's writing. In this industry there are so many hurdles for a writer to consider. Not only do you have to write a killer manuscript, but you have to go to conference and network, you have to work hard to get an agent, hopefully get picked up by an editor, and then you have to network and get the word out on your story to get that books off the shelves. It's a crazy and intense process that only the dedicated can even think on messing with.

If all of these hills and roadblocks aren't enough, writers have to deal with the everyday distractions that often can interrupt the flow of one's writing process. Let's see, there's the television, internet, the constant need to be reassured of one's talent....and normal things, like sleeping, eating, working out, etc. Hell, life is a constant distraction. But the one thing that can uproot the entire writing process is a writer's emotions.

Yep, I said it. Feelings can completely ruin the entire process. For me, it's hard to be creative when I'm feeling like shit. When nothing seems to be going right, it's difficult to focus on characterization and storylines. All I want to do is mope and quietly watch television...which is completely unproductive.

I remember reading about this happening to Stephenie Meyers when she was writing Midnight Sun, which was supposed to be the story of Twilight told from Edward's point of view. Her unedited and unfinished manuscript had been leaked on the web and Mrs. Meyers was so distraught that she couldn't finish writing it. She wrote on her website how writing while she was in that emotional state could change the entire makeup of the story, that the bad guys would beat Edward, and Bella would end up dead at the end. At the time I didn't get it. I mean, the book was already written. Couldn't she just take that outline and make it work. Forget her emotions, we were all salivating for Edwards point of view!!!!

Now that I've recently gone through my own bout of craziness, I'm realizing how futile it is to try to force myself to write when my heart isn't in it. For me, it's better to wait it out and let the bad mood pass. Then, I can get to work and move forward.

Does this happen to you guys? And how do you handle writing when your emotions are going bananas?

Happy writing!!!