When one’s not writing poems — and I’m not at the moment — you wonder how you ever did it. It’s like another country you can’t reach.
May Sarton
Is anyone else like this? I have marching orders in hand (edits on my novel from the King of San Francisco), I've thought them over and know what I want to do... and now I just have to jump back in. But this is always the hardest thing for me. Starting. In terms of story, and also in terms of the simple mechanical process. Opening up a file. Hitting those keys. One, two, three...
It's hard to get back in.
I always look for clues, but sometimes you find yourself at the edge of an abyss, standing on the cliff's edge, the wind pulling at you and singing of the stones far below. And that's when you have to fall back and trust in the wisdom of Indiana Jones. The leap from the lion's head...
Sometimes it's simply a matter of faith. You have to jump. You have to believe there really is a bridge there, even if your eyes deceive you.
Leap from the lion's head. The cup of life lies beyond.
And having a big whip helps, too. Just in case.
11 comments:
Yes, I get this. Sometimes the task at hand is overwhelming because it can be so tedious. I think it's hard to jump in, too, because you never know if it's going to be one of those inspired writing sessions where words flow like milk and honey, or if it will be a writing session filled with desperation, ending in self-loathing, lol...
Bon courage, mon brave. You can totally and absolutely do this.
(Please do, because I so badly want to buy and read the result)
:-)
Oh God I feel like this all the time :( I've been procrastinating jumping back into my WIP for about four months now ... :-/
I don't have this problem. Or at least I haven't yet. I think part of it has to do with the fact that I really only write at work, because it's the only proper set up I have.
That way, when I do write, I have no choice but to dive in and get something done, because the time I have to do it is limited.
This also has its drawbacks, though.
I agree with Adele. Please, for the rest of us that want to read your work, LEAP!
I don't have this problem. In fact, my husband would say I have the opposite - leaping before I have any idea if there's a bridge, the gaping maw of a lion, or a dark abyss waiting for me. :)
Yeah; I've been away from my original novels (a trilogy) so long I don't think I'll ever be able to sit and revise/edit. I don't remember the feeling that went into the plot, or the characters.
Good luck with your revision inspirtion.
.......dhole
And I just noticed your layout is very similar to mine. Different photo, but otherwise ... very nice. Well done, good sir.
I meet with two professional writers once a week on Sunday afternoons. We shoot the breeze for a few minutes and then write for about 4 hours, like a group of high schoolers doing homework. Works for me.
Writing is always on my mind. It draws me back in easily. The only time I have a problem writing is when things in real life get too stressful.
Revision is like moving - you have to clean everything up(adverbs, incorrect words, etc), package it nicely (format that manuscript) and polish it to get the dust off. Revision & editing don't bother me, but moving does.
Good luck with your editing, May - & go ahead and jump off for heaven's sake. If Indie can do it, so can you. (don't forget the whip...)
Bryan, I like the new page layout!
Oh yeah. I am definitely like that. If I leave it too long, I just sit there, paralyzed, before I know what to do. Even if I know what to do. But I always leap. There's just something so seductive about it; I can't resist the pull.
The only thing that works for me is opening the book at page 1 and dealing with it. I can procrastinate for a while, but after a bit I have to face the page.
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