Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time... The wait is simply too long. -Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990)
*******
I have so got to get back into a routine! First off, I spend too much when I'm on vacation. Lots of fun, yes. But boy, oh boy, one more shirt or pair of shoes and my closet (not to mention my wallet) is going to burst! And second, I'm close to locking my children in their rooms--for the whole day! One more Mom, she called me stupid, or Mom, she touched me, and you might as well commit me. Lack of routine is evidently not good for children either.
And the longer I go without any kind of schedule, the more my brain turns into some kind of Swiss cheese with lots of holes in it. Today I got up and made a huge pan of Italian lasagna for my dad's 70th birthday surprise party. Everyone got cleaned up, the girls changed clothes five times, but finally we hustled out to the car and drove the 45 minutes to the church where everyone was supposed to meet. No one was there. The surprise was on me. When I called my sister, she told me the party was tomorrow, not today. Surprise!
Despite the free time, when I sat down to write the other day, I found that after months of revising, I couldn't quite manage to get writing again. I NEED the routine, the schedule! I get grumpy and forgetful and sad and....and disgruntled. That's such a great word, isn't it? Sounds just like I feel. Thankfully I go back to work on Monday. Back to work and back to my writing routine. It's a good thing.
Until then, I'll try to remember that I have a party to go to, and kids, and even that I am a writer.
And the longer I go without any kind of schedule, the more my brain turns into some kind of Swiss cheese with lots of holes in it. Today I got up and made a huge pan of Italian lasagna for my dad's 70th birthday surprise party. Everyone got cleaned up, the girls changed clothes five times, but finally we hustled out to the car and drove the 45 minutes to the church where everyone was supposed to meet. No one was there. The surprise was on me. When I called my sister, she told me the party was tomorrow, not today. Surprise!
Despite the free time, when I sat down to write the other day, I found that after months of revising, I couldn't quite manage to get writing again. I NEED the routine, the schedule! I get grumpy and forgetful and sad and....and disgruntled. That's such a great word, isn't it? Sounds just like I feel. Thankfully I go back to work on Monday. Back to work and back to my writing routine. It's a good thing.
Until then, I'll try to remember that I have a party to go to, and kids, and even that I am a writer.
1 comment:
I have the routine, I just have trouble staying focused on the writing. Perhaps, I'm in a rut. I write 100% about the outdoors. It may be a piece on planting food plots or an aspect of dog training, but it's all the same theme. Publication is at the whim of the editor, although I've been doing fairly well lately.
I struggle with plot in short stories; a character piece I could probably pull off, but .... Writing humor is such an elusive thing. Not everyone has the same funny bone. Or maybe I'm just making excuses.
I want to write, but there are just so many other things to do. Per your opening quote, I wait for the inspiration. When it comes the writing is easy, but torturous in between. If writing was easy, everyone would be doing it.
I'm looking forward to Khardoma. I need the feedback to rekindle the passion. It's good to know others struggle too.
Post a Comment