I am trying to get back into the writing mode--write the blog, write some emails, write up stuff for work, write the novel--but it's difficult. Why is it so difficult?
Is it because I have too many big things to think about? Is it because the stress level is ramped up to such a level that passersby can hear the bass booming from inside of me? Is it because I only have so much time to wind up everything that needs winding up, formulate everything that needs formulating, and get in an un-burned-out state, so that I can carry on in a meaningful way? Is it because it is summer and summers are meant to be enjoyed?
One hour a day. That's all I need to do. One hour would get me started, right?
But in ten days, on the 20th of August, I have to email out 25 pages of my novel to a critique group that I was inducted into, and I would prefer that those 25 pages were good. Drivel is embarrassing. And if I write for ten hours, I won't have 25 pages. If I write for 25 hours, I won't have 25 pages. If I write for 50 hours, maybe . . .
7 comments:
According to my calculations, you will have 12 1-hour writing sessions before your due date, 13 if you write on Saturday as well. That's only two pages a day. You can do that.
Just start with one hour and go from there. One page, one hour. Try going to write where it is still. Where there isn't the noise and distraction of daily life to get in the way. Somewhere where it is easy to "be" and then write.
Yes, I need to write two to three pages a day.
And I, Olive, want to be really optimistic about this. I want to say, "Oh, yes, this will be so possible," but I know that I write each sentence over and over and over and over again. I spend hours on images. I delete half of what I write.
But, I, Olive, will be optimistic and write my . . . my . . . my two or three pages tomorrow. Then, at least, I'll have some material to work with.
Thanks, Betty and Oriana, for your motivating posts.
WRITE WRITE WRITE!
And thanks, Paula, for your motivating email.
FYI: Today, I wrote 1.75 pages in 1 hour.
And not just 1.75 pages, Olive, it was 1.75 BRILLIANT pages.
Just start writing! You know that. You teach that to your students. Don't think about length or quality or anything-- just write.
I know what you mean about writing blahs, though. I have them myself, right now. I worked on a syllabus today (mostly changing dates) and didn't touch the revision that's due August 25th.
Did you go to California? Did you get a real vacation? Yay!
Update: I am 4 days delinquent, and I only have 4 pages out of the 25.
Lovely, huh?
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