Sunday, December 20, 2009

Writing amid the hustle and bustle

Today's Mood: Introspective. Today's Music: U2. Today's Writing: IFFY (2 pages) Today's Quote:
"Understand you're asking the reader to slip through a tiny keyhole--to enter your room of suspended belief." -James McBride
*******
Holiday shopping amidst insane crowds of people; holiday party with a whole bunch of people I don't know; children fighting over the computer, the cat, the amount of attention they get from me--it all makes it hard to find a quiet spot to think, much less write. But somehow I have to crave out some space, just enough to find the doorway into that other world, that world I'm creating.

I have a spot behind my dresser, leaning against the full-length mirror, next to the cold-air return. That is where I've been hiding out to write. It works because someone just glancing into my room doesn't see me right away. It works because there really is no room for anyone else to sit next to me (other than the cat). And maybe best of all, it works because I feel like a kid again--sneaking off to play when I should be cleaning my room or something hopelessly boring and mundane.

The two-page-a-day has been good for me in a couple of different ways. First off, I have to crank it out, so I can't over think things (at least, not too much). And second, when I say "I have to do my two pages, " it turns it into homework, a job, something that I--and my family--sees as important (maybe even more important than housework or laundry--unfortunately, not cooking. My family still won't forgo a meal so I can write--ungrateful wretches. : ))

Still, having said all that, I have to confess I'm now in the hole 6 pages. But how cool is that? I have to make it up. I can actually get away with saying--I need to write all day because I'm 6 pages behind!

So I'm going to write tomorrow. The kids are going to daycare and I'm going to sit in the hospital waiting room and write. What better place? I can't go anyway and it's always quiet and boring. The doorway between worlds can be anyway. You just have to find it.

Where do you find space in the holiday madness?

3 comments:

Stacy McKitrick said...

Sad to say, I can't get my 2 pages in, either. Of course, I am in the process of editing my first book AND trying to write that darn query. Hopefully that counts!

The thing is, I WANT to write. The story is itching to come out. It's just hard to find the time during the holidays. But now that my shopping is done (and hopefully wrapping tonight), I can get back to writing.

smcelrath said...

Editing and writing queries definitely count. But I hear you on the WANTING to write. I even bought a digital voice recorder to try to get some of the ideas and dialog recorded while I drive--it just didn't work as well as I hoped. Somehow it sounded... lame when I tried to say it out loud. (Besides, plotting while driving might be as bad as texting while driving.)

Glad to hear you are trying to find time. It makes me more determined than ever to find time as well.

I've got 4 pages done so far today--and the night's not over yet!

Unknown said...

Wow this is really great blog to read it, i liked reading this blog, very informative, beneficial, will share it with my brother, might be useful to him.

r4i