After getting the wind knocked out of your sails, when nothing seems quite so important as it did before, how do you get your groove back?
I've been taking my WIP to work with me and editing on my lunch our and any down time I may have. I work in a cubical now (love it!) and I'm pretty much out of sight from the powers that be so when I have nothing to do I pull out the old WIP and go at it. (or sometimes I go blogging)
But it's been a bad week and now when I look at my WIP -- I don't like any of it. I fight not to throw the whole thing in the trash because I'm guessing this might be a carry over of feelings from the bad week.
I think I need a good romance novel. Something with nice thoughts and happy endings. Something to lift my overall mood.
I had it.
But I lost it.
Take a break?
Or keep plugging along feeling like someone stuck pins under your finger nails?
What do you do when life throws you down?
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I read something totally different, something that I can get lost in. Take walks. Listen to jazz.
If I MUST work on my wip, I don't look at the WHOLE. I take one chapter and decide to perfect it. As they say--you can always fix crap. So if I am in a space where I feel it's crap--I fix it--once tiny chapter at a time. One sentence at a time. Then it's less overwhelming.
Peace,
E
Yeah, I'm like Erica. When it nauseates me to read it, when I hate it, I just keep plugging along. It's part of my process to passionately hate my WIP at some point. (That's the true reason I write fast: the quicker I can get stuff down before I hate it, the better.)
So I might just focus on one scene, on one sentence, on one paragraph. And I plug along. Eventually, wind picks up under my sails. Sometimes not, but I get it done.
When I go back and re-read a year or so later, it's never as bad as I thought, and sometimes I even enjoy reading it.
PS: My word verification is: readdest. I just thought that was neat.
Editing is still the most difficult for me. Especially the up close, nit-picky sort, so I seldom attempt it when I'm down.
Unlike Erica and Spy, I'm not on a particular deadline, so I currently have the luxury of writing/reading whatever suits my mood. Usually when I'm not feeling 'in the game' I write an abnoxiously syrupy short story where everything sings HEA...or a ranting essay (neither of which I do anything with--usually--it just keeps the juices flowing)
You've had a damn hard week. If I were you, I'd give myself permission to put the wip on time out and expend my energy writing something I felt from the gut that completely distracted me.
When it's time, the wip will call you and you'll be able to answwer with a clear head.
Really sounds like you need some coffee time with friends!
Please don't throw away your WIP - it might be better than you realized but your current frame of mind is clouding your judgement.
Of course, I'm in no real position to offer advice on how to get motivated given the 6 month slump I've been in (and counting.)
Another thing, I believe blogs are public, do you mind if your employer knows that you write or blog while working?
Erica & Spy, ok, I'm powering through. Trying to grab the groove and tame this WIP. I think its just been around too long. I want it gone. I want to work on something else, but I'm afraid I'll never come back if I leave it now.
Chapter by chapter...moving along.
Lainey,
I really need to read a feel good romance now. Something sweet to lift my spirits. I tend to write about crime and murder and when life gets bad I just don't want to look at it.
The only deadlines I have here are the self imposed ones. Something I need or I get nothing done. lol
Lisa,
Thanks for your kind words.
I was weepy all week so even every day stuff has been hard.
This week is a little better.
Hoping your "six month slump" goes away soon. When I find myself really unable to put words on a page I give myself permission to write something really bad. I may not care for it later but it gets the flow going.
Hey, I just read your entry in Nathan Bransford's contest - brrr! here's betting you make the finalists!
Thanks Sara!
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