No Time to Write and Too Much of It: No Way to Win
I used to complain I never had time to write. It was a time when my mother thought I spend too much time at the computer, so I had no other choice but to switch to paper. And… it was different. Words flowed more freely, but there was also this sense of non-permanency that bothered me to no end, because it wasn’t permanent. 9 out of 10 ten times, what I ended up typing in Word bore little ressemblance to the paper so I was often fed up about it.
There was also the fact that I had to do homework, and also around that time, I got really into roleplaying and… I had to read sometime too!
But then I would be on break and have absolutely nothing to do with the long hours at home. One would think I should get confortable on my favorite couch, plug the computer -because the old, wretched thing won’t work without it- open Word and start writing my little, geeky heart out.
Only…
ALL THE FREAKING TIME 🙂
Like, right now, I’m writing this post because it occurred to me in the shower that this is definitely my biggest problem as a writer. Procrastination. I had intended to get some writing done today, but I’m writing this post, have a movie on pause and also, there’s a book about Human Resources waiting to be read in order to not to be completely blank tomorrow when my teacher starts asking her questions. o.o
Joking aside, sometimes the biggest source of my writing doubts is this one. How will I ever finish this thing when I don’t dedicate enough time to it? I hate the feeling because I want to be out there now. For 3 years I’ve been wanting this novel to be out there but those three years have gone by and I keep seeing things that are similar to the novel I’m wiriting everywhere. Now I see the title I’d intended for it out there, I see the mythical creature I’d been hoping to bring back to its glory, I see names…
While I love all the books featuring this stuff, I can’t help but feel that prickling envy, because while I’m still in that first draft, others have already written trilogies in that same timespan!
*takes deep breath* I try to take one day at a time and rejoice when I do get writing done, and that makes me happy. But the bad days? Yeah, they really suck.
Procrastinating is fun, except when it isn’t.
YUP! THREE years is exactly the time I been trying to finish my draft too 🙂 I know what you mean! I have changed the story arc many times, the beginning, the end, plot… I wonder if it would ever happen. I started the blog to get me in the habit of writing but now I’m in love with blogging and that takes time away from my writing 🙁
At least you started a wonderful page about your writing. Love it! I think maybe working more on that page will get you back on track 🙂 I just requested an excerpt 🙂
Daniela recently posted this awesome thing…Writing checklist: Six Writing Communities to check out
:3 Yes, I really want to get serious about this. And thanks for the advice and support too! I’m sure you’ll find the time for your project too 🙂
Pamela Nicole recently posted this awesome thing…Review: Thorn, by Intisar Khanani
I’m a master procrastinator, so I get it. The most successful authors seem to be the ones who FORCE themselves to write, whether they want to or not. Of course, that’s easy for me to say – I’m not actually doing it!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted this awesome thing…Top Ten Books I Want to See on the Screen
Haha! Yes, I wish it was easier.
Pamela Nicole recently posted this awesome thing…Review: Thorn, by Intisar Khanani
I don’t consider myself a writer, although I guess I should since I write for my blog. I find I go through periods of extreme productivity, pouring out 3 posts in a day and maybe review or two. Not that I publish them all that day, it gives me a nice pile for when I’m not productive. When I was teaching middle school I ran a writer’s workshop where students were encouraged to just write anything if they didn’t feel like they could add to a piece that was in progress. Also, a lot of writers like belonging to a group for feedback. Do you do something like that?
Elizabeth recently posted this awesome thing…Books Into Movies
Writing other stuff does help when in a block. I have another idea in the works so I sometimes return to it to write a few paragraphs to feel better.