 |
| 2012: The Year of the Mayan Buzzkill |
First thing I'd do? Quit my day job, no question. (No offense Day Job). I'd then book a vacation for my family to Paris, where we'd gorge on croissants, chocolates and wine (and cheese and bread and...). Cholesterol be damned. Then maybe off to somewhere warm and impractical, like Fiji. I'd read lots of books and spend time with the people I love rather than spending time on the various obligations that comprise my day. You know what else I'd do if the end was near? I'd stop worrying about things like deadlines and writing schedules. I'd stop living life from one task to the next and I'd start living for the moment. In short, I'd rediscover my passion.
I started thinking about this because some recent health issues have knocked me off my writing schedule. I am behind on my book, which is No Big Deal in the legal sense since I'm not under contract, but it's a Big Frigging Deal to Type-A me. I can't do much about it, but it still knots me up. Thinking about the end of the world makes me see how my perspective has gone askew. In the name of being disciplined, I've lost track of some of the passion that got me writing in the first place. If I'm wracked with guilt because I'm a couple weeks off my intended writing goal due to a legitimate setback, I'm doing something wrong. Guilt in small doses is okay, but I should mostly write because I want to write.
I don't actually think the world will end on December 21, but since we never know how much time we have left, I'm going to make an effort to ditch some of the self-imposed drudgery. Maybe I can't quit my day job just yet, and maybe Fiji is out for a while still, but I can examine why writing has been feeling more like an obligation than a joy, and I can fix that. Maybe it's time to reduce my daily word count for a spell, or to take a few days to curl up with a great book that will inspire me to put my own words on paper. It's only November, but it's never too early for a resolution.
So how about you? If the end was near, what would you do?
Aw I'm so sorry to hear that you've been sick. I hope you're feeling better!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lacey! Yes, no need to worry--I'm on the mend! ;-)
DeleteHope you're on the mend and glad you are being kind to yourself. Very easy to put yourself under pressure to just get the thing finished when that really does take some of the joy out of it. I've found my writing a bit of a chore too recently, when I want it to be what it used to be - before I had anything to lose... FUN!
ReplyDeleteIf the end was near I would get my family all together and blow a fortune on fabulous food and drink. I wouldn't be picking up a pen or allowing anyone to do any work. We'd be on a beach somewhere warm where the kids could play in the sea. :0)
Food, drinks and swimming -- sounds like a fabulous time, Charlotte!
DeleteI think you're right about the pressure coming from believing we have something to lose. I've found it difficult to write with publication in mind, and I find I have much more fun when I just write a story because I can't stop thinking about it. Here's hoping we get back to fun soon! xx
Hugs Natalie. Hope you're feeling better. Sometimes it's nice to just set aside the writing and do other things. Give yourself permission to just walk away from the writing for a few days. I did that for part of Thanksgiving week. I shopped and had lunch out for a few days and watched some Christmas movies. It was a great break with no writing.
ReplyDeleteIt gave me a chance to refill the creative well. And you know with each passing day, the desire to write grew within me. Good thing because Thanksgiving morning, I rec'd my next deadline. And now I'm writing again and having a blast.
As for the end of the world, I try not to think about those things. Way too depressing. When my time is up, it's up. Until then I hope to make each day count. :-)
Thank you, Jen! Yes, I'm on the mend and I've been feeling better and writing more. As maddening as it was, I think the forced break brought me some new insight into my WIP. Huh.
DeleteAs for the end of the world, well...I spend many a day in a state of existential crisis. Maybe this is why I spent all those years writing lit fic... ;-)
So sorry to hear you've been feeling under the weather! I think when health issues come up, sometimes it's the worry and the what-ifs that can drag us down. I went through it last year and I know exactly what you mean about being thrown off your schedule. Glad to hear you're back in the game, though! :-)
ReplyDeleteAs for the end of the world, yeah, I'm not going there...;-)
Thank you, Victoria! I agree, the worry has been the worst part, especially when you're the type who thrives on schedules. :-)
DeleteGetting back to the basics and finding your passion can only ever lead to good results, even if it means taking some time off. And what better time to do it than the holidays? Allow yourself a break, do all those things you've been meaning to do, and I bet before long, you'll be itching to write again - and not because the little voice says you "have" to but because you "want" to. A forced break is usually a good thing, at least in my experience:-)
ReplyDeleteSo true. I re-approached my WIP last week with renewed interest and ideas that I wouldn't have had except for the perspective gained from time off. Remind me of this next time I freak out about a forced break. :-)
DeleteHope you're feeling much better Natalie and good luck with the new book.
ReplyDeleteIf the world really were to end soon, I'm with you on quitting the day job and no apologies! I'd spend every single day with my kids. And I might try to squash in a book or two as well. Just those ones right at the top of my TBR pile.
Absolutely, Romy! When the end is near, there's no time for mediocre books. :-)
Delete