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I've been busy lately. Way busier than I've wanted to be, although maybe that doesn't say much. Sick kids, sick husband, furiously scrubbing the house to prevent sick me, doctors, dentists, work, book club--it all takes time. And being busy and stressed means I don't have much time to write but I really need to write. So I got to thinking about how I can still spend quality time with my novel-in-progress even though we cannot always be together (in the flesh (leer)).
I like to spend some time every day at least thinking about the story or characters. Usually this is in the shower since that may be the only time I don't get interrupted--or at least rarely interrupted. But driving in my car is another place I do deliberate, purposeful daydreaming about my story.
Does anyone else have any great ideas on how to stay in touch with your writing project when you don't have time to actually write?
I like to spend some time every day at least thinking about the story or characters. Usually this is in the shower since that may be the only time I don't get interrupted--or at least rarely interrupted. But driving in my car is another place I do deliberate, purposeful daydreaming about my story.
Does anyone else have any great ideas on how to stay in touch with your writing project when you don't have time to actually write?
4 comments:
Sarah;
I don't write novels or even novelas so what I do might not work for you. Sometimes it doesn't work for me either. Like you, I do a lot of thinking while driving. I keep a small stack of scratch paper at the office in case I get a good idea or am working through a tough sentence or for trying titles. For example, what sounds better Bunnies, Brambles and Beagles: Bunnies, Beagles and Brambles: or Beagles, Bunnies and Brambles?
Walk always seem to help, but then our kids are off at college so I have a lot more time--and a wonderful and inspiring place--to walk. I even wrote a poem, something I haven't tackled in a couple of years at least, about bittersweet. I still need to "word play" with it but at least I got something down. I'm hitting the age where thoughts are fleeting and if I don't get them down, they're gone.
Since muskrat houses are just about everywhere there's a puddle, keeping that idea going has been fairly easy.
Have you tried a small recorder, like the old dictaphones? You could record dialogue between characters or plot different scenarios.
Yeah, I bought a digital voice recorder to keep in the car. Funny thing though, I'll get these great dialogs going in my head, take out the recorder and turn it on, and Zoop! Nothing. Or drivel, which is even worse than nothing.
Maybe if I could get a recorder INSIDE my head....
Pen and paper work pretty good. I've been know to run dripping down the hall to grab a notebook and write something down before I lose it.
One suggestion I've been trying to follow: write (oh wait, you said how to stay in touch when you can't write... oh well...) a page from another character's point of view. Sketch out their life story. Write about their motivations. This has been very helpful with my mystery.
I used to take walks and think about plots. Keep a little notebook to jot down... notes. I use my iphone now to dictate notes when they come to me and transcribe them once a decade.
Mike,
I've got a great character motivation sheet from the SCBWI conference. I'll email it to you.
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