I mentioned at the beginning of the year that I’d set a goal of writing 1,500 words a day in 2015. I was doing very well to begin with, producing five to six thousand words on a few glorious days.
But, alas, it seems it’s hard to keep up that pace when life gives you, well, y’know, life. I’ve had some editing to do in recent weeks, and that’s killed my writing momentum, as I settle down to fix flaws in the stuff I was so prolific in writing. The one piece I’d hoped to hunker down with on this week is giving me all sorts of fits, as I’m not sure exactly where I want it to go. Or, more precisely, I know where I want it to go eventually, but I’m not sure how to get there. Sometimes, I do jump around in my writing, but with this one, I think the first scenes really need to happen before I can craft the latter ones. So, I’m feeling somewhat blocked on the one thing I need to write. Though, maybe that’s the problem. Normally, I’d move on to something else, but I’d set a goal of finishing this project in the next week or two, and with that looming over my head, I’m hesitant to set it aside. But, perhaps, I simply need space to figure out a solution.
I’m hoping to get back on the horse again. I’m actually exactly on target, even though I’ve had a couple of zero days (which wiped out my five thousand days). I’m still committed to the overall word count average, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to come with me biting off big big chunks some days and very little on other days.
So, it’s Feb. 10. A little over a month in. How’s your year going so far?
Oh, we could be authorly soul sisters! I am having the very same issues. I tried just barreling through, as some prolific authors have suggested, and not worry about editing, but I found that when I went back to review such stuff I wasn’t at all satisfied with what I had written and I also got really bogged down in the editing. And the distractions that keep rearing their ugly heads! Doing laundry has never seemed more pressing, nor dusting my miniblinds more compelling… :-/ Now I understand why many authors cloister themselves away to get any writing done!
I could use an authorly soul sister. Fortunately, I’m not to the point where laundry seems pressing. 🙂 Good luck with finding your mojo again. I got a second wind and had a really productive weekend.
I think sometimes we just need to let ideas percolate for awhile. But at this point I’m also giving up on the fantasy of balancing teaching and writing because it never seems to happen, even with a reduced course load. I’ve decided to load up on courses in the fall semester and free up the rest of the year for writing (and reading, something I also never do enough of).
I’m just hoping it works.
That’s a great idea, Sandra. Sometimes we do need that extra space and it’s hard to work in writing when there are so many other responsibilities. I think I may be having trouble at the moment because I’m not sure where I want the story I’m writing to go. I have the time, but not the serious inclination at the moment. I hope your semester or reading and writing goes well. It may be just what you need to jumpstart your process.
Ugh! I hear you. I could have written this post. Good luck.
Thanks for the camaraderie, Yvonne. Hopefully, we’ll both get our groove back before the year is complete.