~~February has been a lost cause when it comes to writing my wip. After November's 19,248 words, December's 13,863 words, and January's 16,427 words, I took it as a given that February would follow suite. But, no. It hasn't. I could give you the litany of excuses from health issues (myself and family) to planning and teaching a class at church. Add the wonderful Second Writer's Platform Crusade at Rachael Harrie's Rach Writes and my desire, no obsessive need, to follow the other 216 blogging crusaders and you've got a good list of the external reasons I've had not to write.
~~To be honest, they are just excuses for something much deeper and more insidious. Steven Pressfield calls it resistance in his book, The War of Art. Resistance is anything you let stop you from writing (or other creative endeavors). I've been so resistant this month, that I haven't been able to finish reading The War of Art. Once I finally made myself finish reading part one, I got back to work. That very day!
~~One of my best resistance blocks is perfectionism. It's a flavor of obsession that makes, no, requires me to stop working, because I know how much has to be done to write the book. And I know I can't do it right in the first draft. So I just don't do anything. Or I struggle to write a scene knowing it's horrible because I'm only writing that specific scene I think I need it, but can't explain why. It's all head writing vs. heart writing. Check out Rachael's excellent blog post HERE on this very subject. What's true though, is what Steven Pressfield and Anne Lamott in her excellent book, Bird by Bird say--If you write everyday, your heart starts to take over and run the show.
~~So, February, check out, pass the baton to March, and let me get back to work!
Funny when writing the last two nights, I was unhappy with what was ending up on the page. But I forced myself to keep going. I made the point of telling myself words on the page no matter how insipid were better than no words on the page, but the little voice in my head was not convinced. HeyHo! Maybe it is just February.
ReplyDeleteI figure that my posting comments on people's blogs counts as writing.
ReplyDeleteI like the quote: "If you write every day, your heart starts to take over and run the show." So true.
ReplyDeleteAnn, The little voices in our heads can be good or bad. ; ) Mine has been very, very bad lately.
ReplyDeleteBut like Michael, I think blogging has to count for something.
Thanks, Heather. I'm working on it. And I did write new words yesterday and edited on my Catch Me If You Can bit for March 7. All in all, a good day!
Hi Zan .. lots of encouragement for me there - thanks so much. It's helpful to know that someone else is struggling with resistance and with the feeling of sacrilege when writing less than a polished article!
ReplyDelete:Dom
Yes, Dom, misery loves company. ; ) I'm enjoying the crusade so much. The sharing of ideas and misery helps me go on.
ReplyDeleteHang in there~ March is around the corner!
ReplyDeleteI know you will get back on track with your writing. It will just take some adjusting and you will be there. I think this month and the crusade threw us all for a little loop. But it is a wonderful finding a wonderful new group of people out there to explore. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you! February has been a lost cause for me, too. I'm hoping for much better things in March!!!
ReplyDeleteFellow crusader FINALLY getting to your blog to follow :)
I'm crossing my fingers for us all in March! See you around.
ReplyDeleteOh my, we're exactly the same Zan Marie! I keep looking at all the scenes that need fixing, and how much there is to *add* to each one, and it's just so much easier to put the ms aside and daydream about Rosa and Baha instead of actually fixing their story.
ReplyDeleteI do hope we all do better in March!
I read something along the way in my novel class. "perfect never finishes." I try to keep that in mind when procrastinating. Head writing vs heart writing is inevitable - thank God for revisions.
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