What am I doing writing-wise? If I am writing a lazy word like “writing-wise,” you can bet that my writing is getting rusty. I have a lot of work to catch up on and don’t feel much like writing, although last weekend, I did manage to write a draft of a poem for the chapbook project focusing on family history. We’ll see how well the poem reads when I take it out in a week or two for a second glance.
I have two poems for the chapbook coming out in the museum of americana and one in California Journal of Poetics. These should all be out before the end of the year.
An experimental flash nonfiction piece I began in the course Marie and I took last summer is being published by Phoebe.
But in general I don’t feel much like writing right now. My mind is too cluttered with other “goings-on.” It’s not exactly monkey mind, which is more restless and unsetted. It’s just overly full, like trying to get to sleep at night when you have too much on your mind. Maybe I need a rest from writing. Or not.
Do you think a writer should force the issue and write through those busy head times like Dory says?
If so, maybe I should get off WordPress and into Word?
On another subject, is this little boy so precious? With little kids like this, we do have hope for the future.
Sometimes writing through those “busy head” times helps me to clear my head.
I saw the interview with the little boy on the news the other night…I went through several tissues.
I saw that interview. He’s so adorable! Tears for all the little kids in these sad times.
That is probably very good advice, Jill!
Thanks for the video of the little boy. That is exactly how we have to think about it.
While I’m not a serious writer personally, I do write all the time for work. and sometimes I just need a break. I had one for two weeks at the end of August and my personal and professional writing has benefited. Everybody needs a vacation!
STOP!!! I don’t want to hear you say that again, Elyse! “I’m not a serious writer personally.” You’re a writer. Period. I agree about the vacation, but it seems as if I’ve taken quite a few this year hahahaha.
Ok. I just don’t know that I have a book in me. That’s what I meant!!!
Happy thanksgiving!
Hope you had a lovely one, Elyse!
For me writing is weird. I don’t have an idea or inspiration. I sit down and then words appear on the page. It doesn’t always happen like that but often enough that I don’t worry about ideas. Writing is like exercising. Once you get into it, you’re good. The hard part is getting into it.
For blog posts, poems, short pieces, I tend to do that, too–see what I have coming out of my fingertips onto the keys hah. For a longer project I have to have more work going on ahead of time (sometimes for poems, too). I SO agree about writing being like exercising, but for a different reason as well: because the more you write the better you get. Simple.
So true. Once in a while, I’ll go back to my first posts and I want to edit them!
I know what you mean!!!! About mine, not yours haha!
I love the writing-wise humor with which you let yourself off that pokey hook we sometimes employ to nudge our ‘should’ voice ahead of our self-care voice. There us absolutely a difference between monkeymind and a full head (or ‘outer life’ as I call it.). Seemingly half my blog buddies, including me, have ‘gone dark, on their blogsites for myriad reasons. It is ok, albeit a change; each of us has to prioritize for ourselves. Take care, Luanne; you will find your way 💖
Yes, they have! My reader is so sparse compared with what it was like a couple of months ago, not to mention a year ago! What is going on? How did that happen to so many all at once? And you have been one of the culprits hahaha. Outer life is a very good way to put it. Last night I was at a writer’s group meeting and my friend, our hostess, mentioned our double lives as writers! I guess we have the inner writing one and the outer life that gets too busy and hogs so much brain space!
I vote for rest….maybe because I crave rest. Touching interview of that little lad.
One of the many reasons I love you is that you use words like “lad.” I hope you can rest over the holiday!!
I saw that little boy and his dad on FB. It’s very touching.
As for writing, sometimes it helps me to just force myself (and you know, deadlines), but at other times, I need to just go read a book. Good luck!
So touching. What a little sweetheart.
Sometimes it feels like such a luxury to read a book that I feel guilty for doing it!!! Isn’t that crazy? (No need to answer haha)
I’ve done little writing of late as well–so busy with the new book. It leaves me feeling like I have a hole inside me where something usually sits. Must get back to it soon. Hopefully you’ll find the time–and will–soon too!
There is a time for book promotion (yay!!!!), but yes, before too long you will have to get back to it and then all will feel “right” again.
I hate to say it but moving to WORD can be a pretty good bet but it sounds like you’ve achieved a lot more than you realise.
Hahaha, Jean, I tried moving to Word a few times this weekend and it didn’t work out very well! This is going to be a bad month for writing, I predict ;).
Oh, don’t look at it that way. See the weekend WORD as warming up!
OK, if you say so!
Congrats on your publications and works in progress. And I believe you’ve earned a break 🙂 Sometimes when I force myself to write, it just makes me feel worse. I believe in breaks. And, generally, you write a lot so don’t feel bad about not writing for awhile 🙂
Thanks, Marie. Sometimes I need to hear it from someone else and not me trying to persuade myself. That’s true, I have written more than I thought in the past couple of years. How is it going with YOUR project?!
As you know by now, I finished NaNoWriMo successfully 🙂 Now I have a ton of reading (books and blogs) to do! Yikes.
Oh, thanks for sharing the video. I’d heard of it, but this is the first time I saw it. You’re, there’s hope with children like the little boy.
That little boy is so precious.
Push through it. Do a writing exercise. Don’t focus on production, just write for fun. Fun is restful!
Now there is an idea! Fun. hahaha. That’s what I want is to find the fun, but when my mind is overly full of personal and family stuff it’s not fun to try to clear it to write.
If I don’t feel like writing, I don’t write. I guess it’s as simple as that, Luanne, but we’re all different so just do whatever makes you comfortable. Congratulations on the publications! Very well done indeed. 😀
I love the video of the little boy. Beautiful xxxx
Dianne, I love that lack of guilt feelings and the “shoulds.” That is so freeing! Thank you for the congrats! It does look better when I write out the publications because I forget them so quickly.
That little boy just kills me–he’s so so sweet.
Push through it. You may discover something unexpected. Even if it is 10 minutes of writing time.
Maybe you are right that I ought to just aim for a small chunk and then feel successful about it. I like that . . . .
I’m in a similar place – not writing much with lots going on family-wise. I think it is OK to take a hiatus and begin again when the muse strikes. My best to you. <3
I’m not glad you’re in a similar place for your sake, but for my sake it does make me feel that I am not alone in this. So much family stuff. And my brain spins with all of it. Maybe after the holidays we will both be in a better place mentally for writing!
To write or not to write…that is the question. I have no answer. 🙁
Hahaha, that sounds like RED talking!
Oh man, I don’t know. I was never good at the ‘work’ part of writing, which is why I eventually stopped altogether. The stars had to be far too aligned for me to pull it off, and I never met a deadline i could meet because of it.
That would be the pits for me if I had to write for deadlines. Ugh. That sounds so soul-deadening to me. That said, I do like to give myself a writing routine of sorts so that I don’t feel like a slacker hahaha. But maybe I’m too hard on myself sometimes. I thought of that when Merril (above) said something about reading a book. If I feel like reading is a luxury then I am pushing myself too much, I suspect. And I don’t want to lose my sense of play because play is very very important to life IMO. You are one of my “play” role models, just so you know. You make work and art look like play which is so relaxing and fun.
Ha ha I’m faking it (no not really)
I struggle with the ‘keep writing’ when I feel like you do Luanne, but once I get going, it helps. Self-doubt swamps me so many times… I couldn’t access the YouTube clip, it said it’s ‘terminated’ 😮
Ugh.Here is another version of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkM-SDNoI_8
It does help to force oneself to write a bit, but not too much. If it doesn’t flow at a certain point, I guess that is time to stop.
Oh Luanne, this made me cry buckets…thanks for sending me the link. Do you mind if I share it on my blog? I had a car accident yesterday – not my fault – and had so much to sort out today with the insurance etc. Nobody injured, but my new only three month old car smashed at the front 🙁 She drove out right in front of me at a roundabout, I had right of way, she didn’t look. I hardly have time to blog or write at the moment, I’m overwhelmed with so much else going on and was feeling so frustrated and overwhelmed…and then I watched this clip and none of that mattered anymore. I was going to put a short post up to let everyone know why I’ve been lax in blogging and catching up…but this puts so much in perspective…thank you so much xoxo
You poor thing! I’m so glad you are ok. What a ridiculous (self-absorbed or someone who should not be driving for health reasons?) person to do that! By all means. I am feeling very shattered today over the shooting in San Bernardino, which is the city I taught in for 15 years. Hence no post for me today.
Oh Luanne, we are just watching the news about it, it’s terrible. It just seems like every day now there is some awful shooting…but this is a husband and wife? I am so so sorry…so awful when it’s on your home turf. Sending hugs and prayers… xoxo
Thank you so much, Sherri. I still feel a little bit in shock. And Redlands where they have searched the apartment is the town where my poetry reading was last month!
Oh gosh…yes, I remember now about you going to Redlands. It’s not an area I ever visited. Oh Luanne, what a terrible thing…just so awful. I’m so glad you are safe…and praying for all concerned… xoxo
It’s just so crazy. I can’t imagine how people who survive a tragedy like this ever recover.
Horrendous…
Exactly
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