A Writer’s Habits

Many writers have the same habits to get them in the mood, so to speak. I used to take time every morning to sit down and write. A lot of times, I went to bed with a pen and pad to free write. The shower was one of the best places for ideas and where I had fantastic inspiration. I also carried a notebook with me wherever I went. 

Looking back over the trials of the last 5 months,  I realize I have broken all of my habits. They no longer exist. What irks me is that I was making so much progress. Now, I feel like my only habit is staring at a screen and wondering if I should check my email again or play Scramble on Facebook./sigh

Blogging has always been therapeutic for me. A way of getting the juices flowing. Maybe I concentrate on blogging first thing? That way, it gets my thoughts flowing through my fingers. Another step is reading. I haven’t been reading like I should.  Reading makes my scalp tingle with every new page that I greedily consume. So, reading and blogging. Then on to free writing.

Who knows what will come after that? I am hopeful that it will be very good things.

Completion–or starting over?

I have two books near completion. What I don’t have is an ending that makes me happy for either of them. Do I let them sit longer and stew? Or do I sit on my deck and muse over them? 

Is it my fear that I won’t have another good idea? Maybe, but generally, once I get to where I am writing again every day the thoughts flow out of me. They are organic, pure and rapid. Like an icy cold stream flowing down a mountainside. It’s up to me to warm them and then mold these ideas into something that is pure bliss.

Pondering is always good. But too much pondering makes Jane a lazy girl. I need to get into my characters heads and listen to them. With the events of this year, I haven’t had time to hear myself think, let alone my characters.

I need to run a synopsis of this years events to everyone, but for now, I shall leave it to writing. When some of the pain subsides, I will share it with you. For now, I release my pain on pen and paper, not electronically.

A quick update

I am back to writing, but have been helping care for my Grandfather in his last six weeks of life. It has been a moving experience and I am glad I was there to see him to his final days.

But, I feel renewed and cleansed, ready to be among the living and immersed in my writing. It’s a marvelous thing.