I am in a writing slump. I know! I know! There are many sayings about how a "real" writer writes no matter what life throws at them. It's a nice quotation, but not exactly truthful. Each of us get swamped with life to the point that we can hardly breathe. Let's be honest. Most authors feel like the day will go perfectly to plan. One will wake up happily, drink beverage of choice with a nice pastry or fruit salad, lift the screen of the laptop and putter the day away writing meaningful prose that would make Hemingway envious. Yeah...I am just as disillusioned as you are.
The truth is...life happens. I would love to say that I could sit down at any moment and write. It is actually a dream of mine. I can picture the above scenario in my head with no hesitation, but it doesn't always happen like that. I admitted I am in a writing slump, but here's the reason why: Depression is a bitch. Yep! I said it. Anyone who suffers from anything that affects their whole life would understand the sentiment.
Perhaps there are authors out there that spend all day writing with no distraction, understanding friends and family, and still have a semblance of a social life. I am unfortunately not one of them. If this struggle sounds familiar, then perhaps you are not one of those authors either. It's okay. It really is. You do not have to be a keyboard god to have a successful writing life.
So how do we get our mojo back?
Well...the obvious answer is to write. LOL! I know. Writing slump. No matter what you write, there is a lot of setup and creativity involved. Personally, I find other things to write - like this blog post. Something that will activate the mind and creativity without ruining a plot or character's life.
Before you do that though, you have to reassure yourself that it is perfectly natural to have a slump. Or ten! What makes you a "real" writer is your ability to not allow a slump to define your writing career or your ability to finish what you started. What is common among all authors is the act of putting one word after another on paper until the story is finished! That's an author. A real one. Take it easy on yourself. Writing shouldn't be easy. It should be gut wrenching, soul searching, and stomach gouging from beginning to end. If you can take those steps...one word at a time...you will accomplish the goals you set.
The truth is...life happens. I would love to say that I could sit down at any moment and write. It is actually a dream of mine. I can picture the above scenario in my head with no hesitation, but it doesn't always happen like that. I admitted I am in a writing slump, but here's the reason why: Depression is a bitch. Yep! I said it. Anyone who suffers from anything that affects their whole life would understand the sentiment.
Perhaps there are authors out there that spend all day writing with no distraction, understanding friends and family, and still have a semblance of a social life. I am unfortunately not one of them. If this struggle sounds familiar, then perhaps you are not one of those authors either. It's okay. It really is. You do not have to be a keyboard god to have a successful writing life.
So how do we get our mojo back?
Well...the obvious answer is to write. LOL! I know. Writing slump. No matter what you write, there is a lot of setup and creativity involved. Personally, I find other things to write - like this blog post. Something that will activate the mind and creativity without ruining a plot or character's life.
Before you do that though, you have to reassure yourself that it is perfectly natural to have a slump. Or ten! What makes you a "real" writer is your ability to not allow a slump to define your writing career or your ability to finish what you started. What is common among all authors is the act of putting one word after another on paper until the story is finished! That's an author. A real one. Take it easy on yourself. Writing shouldn't be easy. It should be gut wrenching, soul searching, and stomach gouging from beginning to end. If you can take those steps...one word at a time...you will accomplish the goals you set.
No comments:
Post a Comment