What do you do when life suddenly raises the difficulty level of writing your book from 3 to 10? Well if you’re me… you get terribly sick and make lists… so many lists.
Recently I had a manuscript appraisal completed… there was nothing said that I didn’t expect, nonetheless, it was hard to hear. It didn’t help that I had been sick for weeks and was absolutely miserable (I still am). And when you feel like this… man it is hard to put fingers to keys and get those words down. You feel terrible and if you’re anything like me. You temporarily want to give it all up and do something easy. But what is easy? Most things I’ve enjoyed doing haven’t been easy, and they’ve all come with a learning curve. Sometimes a massive learning curve. So I took a few days off. I listened to my body and my mind and using that information I allowed myself to breathe for a few days. This wasn’t easy, mind you, I struggled every day with the guilt of not writing – which is stupid and ridiculous because I am beholden only to myself.
Knowing when to take a break, and when to push through is extremely important. If you decide to push through when you aren’t feeling it one of two things will happen: you will break the seal and everything will come pouring out, or you will burn out. I was dangerously close to the second. Taking that time gave me perspective. It told me that I was approaching the situation the wrong way and that there was a solution well within my grasp. Today was my first day back at writing, and once more, like magic, the words flowed from my fingertips to weave a tapestry before my eyes. I have a new angle to work, new scenes to add, and new ways to develop Gryphon and her friends.
The moral of my story is listen to what your brain is screaming at you, and don’t be afraid to take a day or two. Your writing will still be there when you are ready, and you never know what a little time will do for your work and productivity.
Go and write some damn words. Or don’t. Up to you. =)
x
H
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