I remember a time when I wrote every day. Every day. It was my compulsion. My passion.
When I stopped writing to do the research for my historical novel, it seemed like a logical thing to do, but it brought my writing to a standstill - for weeks and the better part of several months.
Looking back to what has worked for me in the past when I've been in smaller ruts (none as bad as this one), I realize that a little bit of writing every day is what I need. I know that doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me. So I'm going to go back to a Write Despite mentality and write in a focused way for 20 minutes a day until the end of the year.
No amount of housework or research or class work or need from my family will keep me from this goal. I will, however, cut myself some slack when I have a migraine - because, well, I can't see without the medicine and the medicine makes me kind of stupid.
I definitely want to get back in the habit of writing for the entire time my little guy is at school (3 hours a day during the week), but I can't start at that pace from nothing.
From lots of posts I've been reading, I think I'm not alone in my loss of momentum. Do you write every day or most days or on any kind of a schedule? When you lose your momentum, what works for you?
Twenty minutes is reasonable and everyone has that amount of time somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI haven't written anything for a while, but not sure if I'll continue writing anyway, so it's all right.
If I start with 20 it will usually end up being 120. It's just the getting started that's difficult.
DeleteI used to have stops and starts. Then I started a FB writing support group. We check in with our totals each day. If we don't write, we donate a $1 to the charity Build On. We report our totals every 3 months. Donating is on the honor system. In the 19 months since I started the group, I've written all but about 45 days. No more many-month droughts for me!
ReplyDeleteGood luck finding a rhythm.
Sign me up! :)
DeleteIf you're interested, let me know. You can check out the info on Facebook:
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/162887403814302/
I've been revising the book I'm releasing this fall, and am figuring out all the steps involved in self-publishing, so other kinds of writing (apart from blogging) have fallen by the wayside. But I'm champing at the bit to get back to it...
ReplyDeleteSome Dark Romantic
That's awesome that you've finished it completely. I would feel great if I stopped writing to do that, but, well, I haven't.
DeleteI'm definitely a write-every-day (well, other than weekends) kind of person. Something about the consistency is almost soothing. I will say it's not as fun while editing, but I still keep the same schedule. Best of luck to you with your new goal. I know you can achieve it! :)
ReplyDeleteI feel happier when I write most days and on a schedule. It's hard to get back in the groove - sort of like doing push-ups after I haven't done any in months. I probably need to add push-ups to the daily list. :)
DeleteHmm, this post JUST showed up in my feed. Weird.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I DO write most days. I reached a point of burnout a couple of months ago, though, and had to take a break. But I think it's good to at least check in on your writing every day. Someone else I know calls it "touching the ball" just to keep yourself familiar with it, just to check in and know it's still there.
Also, I think if you commit to writing twenty minutes a day, it will easily lead to more as the pump gets primed. :)
I agree with LG. I try for about 350-500 words a day minimum. I don't include blogposts as fiction writing, but I do include query letters, synopsis, etc. If I miss a day, then back to it the next. If I can't write, I plan.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!