Welcome to IWSG Day. The goal of this blog hop is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a haven for insecure writers of all kinds. IWSG is the brainchild of our ninja leader Alex Cavanaugh. Thank you to November cohosts, Jennifer Lane, Jenni Enzor, Renee Scattergood, Rebecca Douglass, Lynn Bradshaw, and Melissa Maygrove. For links to all contributors, click here.
November’s optional question - When you began writing, what
did you imagine your life as a writer would be like? Were you right, or has
this experience presented you with some surprises along the way?
I knew I’d be away and unavailable when the email
announcing this month’s IWSG post arrived. I pre-wrote my post, unaware of the optional
question. Happily, I came close enough!
Sixteen years ago when I created Middle Passages, I was besotted.
Every word I wrote felt as rewarding as that electrifying, innocent joy of
first love. But as we all know, dazzling first loves don’t always remain for the
long haul. It’s like that with writing too. Many submissions and rejections
followed those initial earnest blog posts, which taught me that real writing takes
hard work, patience and time. I get it, but I’d be a liar to say I don’t miss that
period when everything was fresh and exhilarating.
These days, writing feels more like living with a trusted
partner. We know we belong together and have enough confidence in our relationship
that sometimes we do things apart.
Occasionally though we experience a lapse in communication, which happened this past April when my writing brain forgot to tell me it planned to take off to parts unknown the same day I retired. I trust it to return, but patience is key. While it's been away, I've been reading, walking a couple of miles a day, taking yoga and Zumba classes and learning Mahjong. I want to tell you my days are full, but they aren't, really. I have plenty of time to write, but zero inspiration. So, to keep myself going, I’ve been playing around with my old blog posts, cutting and pasting them into a Word document, then editing the heck out of them.
You know how when you love your own words, your proofreading eyes fail to find mistakes? Now I see them all. Mostly though, I find ways to tighten the essays to make them more compelling. It's fun. Re-reading the early-writing me feels like visiting with an old friend I haven’t seen in years. It's a little like receiving postcards from afar. It helps me stay in touch with my imagination while it's off galivanting.
What do you do when inspiration takes a holiday?
19 comments:
I enjoyed reading about the relationship between your writing brain and you. I trust it will return and admire how you filled the empty space with physical activity.
Speaking of postcards, when we were visiting France, we had a postcard race. We mailed a dozen postcards to friends in Mexico, USA, and Canada. It was fun to see who received their card first.
I always worry, if I do get to retire, my writing mojo will run and hide when it sees a full day to use up... I'm sorry it happened to you, but you will reconnect. You just need a new routine.
Sorry the writing inspiration is hiding. Mine left a while ago. Focus on other creative things.
My inspiration never takes a holiday...it just switches gears and it's like...really? How can I finish the manuscript when all you want to do is write poetry? Come back! Let's finish what we started!
I hadn't thought about our relationship with writing like a marriage, and you're right at first we are besotted and everything flows out of you. Now I have to make myself sit down and write. But I'm always glad I did! I have also found that doing something else, exercise, art, being out in nature, always helps that writing inspiration come back. I'm sure it will come for you soon too!
I get the lack of writing inspiration, even though you have the time. The important thing is that you're creating a lifestyle in retirement that you enjoy. It's harder to do after losing a spouse, and you need to be kind to yourself.
When inspiration abandons me I consider this the good fallow time of year, when the soil slowly renourishes itself with no apparent changes going on above ground.
I just posted because I'm very slow these days and okay with it. Both of us compared writing to having a long term partner. ha.
That's the best part of writing -- being able to look back at something you loved enough to immortalize it forever.
As I work on putting together another collection, I've been re-reading some of my older published works, and you are so right about it being like visiting an old friend and receiving postcards from far away. :)
I also miss the early days of my writing, the enthusiasm to dive in and never come up again. Alas. As to what I do when I can't write - I read.
My enthusiasm waxes and wanes over the years. It comes back though.
Liza, you are so right. Real writing takes lots of hard work, patience and time. I struggle with it every day. And many, many days I get nowhere. Stay strong, dear friend.
I feel you. It's like "I know I had decent thoughts, worthy of the page... where did that go?" Yup. And the drive, it's hard to regain now with such odd marketing.
I'm not sure my writing brain ever goes on holiday. I try to write something every day, even if it's just a piece of flash fiction or something. I think of it as keeping my writing muscles in shape.
Your writing is beautiful. When I lose inspiration, I try reading a lot of books, free write in my journal, and learning a new skill, usually one with my hands. It lets my mind wander while I work on something non-story related.
Your day sounds pretty busy to me. Your posts are always interesting so I'm sure you're reading a lot of good stuff from your old posts.
Hi Liza - you'll enjoy writing as time goes along ... take your time - you've always got it as and when it takes you. Good for you - cheers Hilary
I think you've been hard on yourself with the "shoulds". I'm guilty of this - I should do this, that, be achieving. And yes, the initial glow was heady and soon rejections kick you down a notch. But, you've stuck with your blog and and communication here. Reading and walking...observations will kickstart something. If not now, it's okay. Cheers my friend. Enjoy those fall colors.
Cool relationship metaphor for writing. Congratulations on your retirement. That sounds frustrating that your muse also decided to retire at the same time--I hope she returns to work soon!
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