"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." ~E.L. Doctorow
As I clear my schedule to allow me to finish one, just one, of several books I've started, I find it difficult to explain to people what I'm doing.
If I say I'm working..they want to know where. If I say at home - then I'm 'available' to them. If I say at school...they want to know what classes I'm taking and how many credits. If I'm honest and say "very little", I'm 'available' to them. On the other hand, if I explain that I am writing a book, it brings to mind the loser who is always "working on a novel" that everyone knows will never sell.
I just want to write. It's time consuming. It requires a visit to the deep recesses of my creative brain--which is too far to jump back and forth, constantly addressing concerns of reality or answering questions. My husband, who also writes(though in a technical way) needs that connection. He gets through the day with frequent phone calls to his wife, internet browsing followed by phone calls to his wife and e-mails and text messages.
I also know how irritated I was last week when I needed to touch base with a member of my YW pres before I left town, and she wouldn't take my call--because she was working at home. I only needed one minute and it caused alot of stress that she was unavailable when I knew she was sitting only a few hundred yards away from me.
How is it done??
How to say no, no to things i don't want to do but should, no to things I want to do but shouldn't.
And how do you avoid the creeping feeling that after all the time you spend, locked away in the spare room or hiding at the public library, this could be you-- "I am returning this otherwise good typing paper to you because someone has printed gibberish all over it and put your name at the top." ~English Professor (Name Unknown), OhioUniversity??
(edited to fix some computer weirdness)
-- Edited by Ros at 18:34, 2008-01-05
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"My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."
Maybe you could try to just set aside a block of time that happens at the same time on the same schedule. Tell people that you are booked solid for that time with "personal time". That is, time you spend on your own personal mental health. Writing does that for me, and it sounds like it does it for you too. People will still try to interrupt at first, but if you keep it to a consistent schedule eventually they will get used to it. I write typically on my lunch hour and at night when the kids are sleeping, and that works for me.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Ros: Writing consumes a TON of time. I've found for me personally early morning has usually worked best, cuz when the kids are awake they are a major distraction. The drawback to early mornings is you can't really "binge write"... meaning you can't write extra if you have stuff to do during the day... you have to put it down everyday and get other things done. Also you have to actually go to bed at night. Requires a lot of discipline, but you can get a good few hours every
You MUST find time to do it everyday (except Sunday), though, if you want to do it...
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
To progress in the direction of your dreams, you need to choose one of two fundamental approaches:
Find a way to quiet your mind, create empowering beliefs, practice positive self-talk, find your focus, affirm your power, free your emotions, and visualize positive outcomes so that you can develop the confidence, generate the courage, and find the determination to make the commitment to feel sufficiently motivated to do whatever it is you need to do;
...Or you can just do it.
-- Edited by Ros at 19:33, 2008-01-05 (screwy computer)
-- Edited by Ros at 19:35, 2008-01-05
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"My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."
Ros, I have learned through the years that we need to respect other peoples' time. People that do not work that I have encountered have had much to occupy time from 12 step meetings(I used to know a lot of cool people in NA when I was a misisonary), having to take a bus making a trip to the store a challenge, going to doctors appointments a lot. Of course, the list goes on...
I have a lot of time. Yet, I don't spend the time doing the quality writing that I should do. I do not have a goal more than doing for leisure right now. I need to read more poetry too but don't take time very often for that. I stay busy with fun stuff. It is funny how I will email and pm people and have a person or people that I have been meaning to email for a time and it takes forever to get around to it. Life is funny sometimes.
I look forward to hearing of your progress. I wish someone would list all the books published by those at my forums and if we can purchase them still. I can't buy anything right yet, but hope to in the future.
It'd be nicer if we were published writers! I'm going through and doing a final edit on my book. It's written, but I want to make sure that it is good enough for the publishers that I plan on sending it to. I'm not going to use an agent yet, which means that my choices of Sci Fi publishers is down to two. If they both reject it, maybe I'll consider an agent so that I can submit to the rest.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
IF it is published. I still have to get someone to buy it.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
I do too. But I'll concentrate all my efforts on getting a publisher to pick it up for right now.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
It's a good idea to keep working on projects regardless of how published they are. From what I understand, often a writer will get picked up on their fourth or fifth attempt to write something, and then publishers will want more. If you don't have other projects already done... you'll not have much else to offer.
So even if the first book doesn't publish on the first try, don't give up.
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
That's a last resort. I've seen figures, and the vast majority of self published books never sell much over 100 copies. The exceptions are very rare. But if I can't get a publisher, I'll go the route of self-publishing. I'm not really into the money aspect of writing. Only a few authors make even a normal living off of science fiction, much less get rich. But I do want my book to get out to a wide audience.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Ditto, Ray. Although I'd insist that you sign it. That way if the book ever did become famous I could sell the autographed version on eBay for a gazillion dollars.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Well I don't know about my writing skillz, but I have my complete application in for the Master's in Creative Writing program at Boise State. I think I find out in the next month if I'm accepted. Wish me luck!
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
