We all know that I love, really love, Yellow Bike.
I love it.
But I’ve gotten about halfway through the first revision, and I’m at a stand-still.
Not because the plot sucks or the characters suck or I suddenly hate everything- I just can’t bring myself to revise.
I can’t make myself sit up in my office for the one, two, even three hours I have “free.”
I put free in quotes because, as we all know, I can always find things to do if I want to. And I’ve done them all. The last time I procrastinated I rearranged my bedroom furniture. This time, I’ve gotten really into napping. Like serious napping. I can nap with the best of them.
The challengers- silver and bronze, respectively.
I have awesome critique partners who want to read it. That doesn’t make me care.
I have a book I believe in, and I really think it will sell. That doesn’t make me care.
I even have a dog who runs up the steps to my third floor office every time we walk by (it’s his favorite room). Even that doesn’t make me care.
So here’s a shout-out to all my writer friends:
Help! Inspire me! How do you get your butt in your chair when you’d rather be a champion napper?
January 31st, 2013 at 10:02 am
Maybe the best thing for now is to NOT put the butt in the chair! Maybe set your aside for a week or two. Your subconscious will tell you when you’re ready to return to it. Sometimes taking a break is the best thing I can do for my writing. I return energized, full of ideas, ready to tackle it head-on.
January 31st, 2013 at 10:36 am
Love it! I’ve been suspecting that might be the case…
January 31st, 2013 at 10:03 am
Sorry for the word omission – “work”
January 31st, 2013 at 10:43 am
Take a laptop to a motel and cheat on your “real” life. Disclaimer: Don’t know if this actually works, but I’ve always wanted to try it.
I also don’t endorse real infidelity…
January 31st, 2013 at 10:47 am
Haha! That sounds like a wonderful idea! Real life gets in the way so much- especially those dishes. Plus, motels have cable and I could easily reward myself for a chapter or two of revision by watching a couple shows on Food network…
January 31st, 2013 at 7:08 pm
Yes! That sounds like an excellent plan! If you ever try it, you’ll have to let me know.
January 31st, 2013 at 11:26 am
LL – Whenever I feel so uninspired and want to just relax with some (insert any food or dessert here) and Destination Truth, I tell myself that the writers getting published are not the ones being couch potatoes. There is so much competition out there, the publishing contracts are going to go to the person with his or her bum in the chair, typing away. You want to see Yellow Bike in print, at the bookstore, and gripped in someone’s hands, right? Well, get to it!
January 31st, 2013 at 11:34 am
Ooo… that was powerful. That was a much better pep talk than the ones I’ve been giving myself! I may have to print it out and affix it to the remote control… or my pillow.
January 31st, 2013 at 11:33 am
I edited two novels last year and am editing Tollbooth now. I never wanted to edit. It sucked/sucks, but … I had a method that helped me stick with it.
I made an index card for each chapter/segment and bound it with a rubber band as a little flip book. The flip book got a mark on each card as I edited it. The book was always there on my desk and I found myself reminded more often that I had to keep editing to get through the book. A physical thing there, a reminder was necessary. It helped me a lot.
January 31st, 2013 at 11:36 am
I like that idea, too! Stuff that’s physical and immediate helps me a lot- I usually do a reward system. But a reminder of what I’ve got left to do… well, let’s just say I don’t leave dishes in the sink for long.
January 31st, 2013 at 1:48 pm
Sometimes, there is no explanation and the more you fuss about not being able to explain it the worse it gets … I know it can be (infuriating, I-want-to-cry-and-eat-a-bucket-of-Ben-&-Jerry) hard, but try to just allow yourself to leave your manuscript alone for as long as it takes for you to want to obsess about it again
February 1st, 2013 at 10:02 am
I like the way you put that! I do want to obsess about it again. And I also like the Ben-and-Jerry’s suggestion…
February 2nd, 2013 at 5:45 pm
Caffeine. Turning the internet off. Forcing myself to do it until I get sucked in and it changes from work to fun (sometimes takes up to an hour). LOL.
Get to it girl! I want to read it. And Bleeder.
February 4th, 2013 at 8:00 am
Yay! I’m glad you want to read it.
I want you to read it, too. I really should get to it. Maybe I’ll ask my hubby to pre-heat the third floor and make tea tonight in order to inspire me, hehe.
February 2nd, 2013 at 10:41 pm
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