No, I’m not done yet.
Like most writers, I have a full time job. The pay sucks, but it’s still a full time job. There’s a reason the first line of my bio says professional volunteer. Between my “work” and my children’s schedules, I squeeze in writing time and revising time and author platform time and email time. You get my point. If you are reading this post, you’re probably in the trenches with me.
So, what am I complaining about today? My brain.
It takes time for me to get in the zone of writing. I type a few words, determined to get to my goal. Those words suck! I delete them. I re-read the previous words to try and reclaim the inspiration from which they blossomed. I remember. I’m getting it back. I change my mind and decide those were NOT brilliant words. I now see the true vision of the scene and must construct new sentences. I’ve finally found the flow. My fingers are making music on the keyboard. Pianists would be jealous. This novel will be a best seller and everyone will love this world as much as I do.
Then I get a phone call that my daughter has a fever. Or time has passed at an inordinate rate while I was visiting other worlds. I have to drop everything and rush out the door to a meeting. (This, by the way, is why you will also see me make odd u-turns because I’ve accidentally headed toward the high school when I was supposed to head toward the barn or vice versa. It takes time to get out of my imaginary world once I finally find my way into it.)
Guess what happens next time I have an hour to write? Wow! You’re good. Rinse and repeat. And repeat.
The funny thing is, this doesn’t only apply to writing. I hate leaving something when I haven’t finished it yet. I don’t like to set down books until I read “the end.” I hate having an incomplete database for an event because I ran out of typing time and haven’t had the time to return to the task. My last piece of my neglected kitchen table has not received its re-staining treatment. It’s been over a year.
Is any of this abnormal? I don’t think so. So what’s the problem? It’s making me extremely grouchy.
Trim the load! I hear ya. I can’t. I’ve tried. My true deliverance will be when the kids graduate. No, I’m not planning on selling the house and moving away. Not immediately. My role in their lives will change though. I will no longer be responsible for their everything. Will it make room in my schedule? Time will tell.
For now, no, my next novel is not drafted. No, I’m not finished with the paperwork. No, I have not done the grocery shopping. No, all of the clothes are not folded.
On the other hand, yes, my kids are doing fine. Yes, my bills are paid. Yes, we have eaten today. Yes, I have one completed book (with publication coming soon).
Okay. I’m not so angry anymore. Writing therapy for the win! Off to my WIP. I might finish a chapter before I have to take my son to french horn lessons.
How about you? What slows you down when you’re making progress? What do you do to overcome if you don’t have a blog to rant on?
