Day 29
It has been a successful morning writing. I am still in my pajamas, drinking coffee and writing away the morning. As I glance at my phone I am shocked it is almost noon. I don’t know why I am surprised because that’s what writing does for me. It takes me into another realm.
The Fog
I get lost in my writing. I am fully engaged with my characters. I feel their emotion and their personality is tangible. I find myself becoming one of the key characters often and it is an interesting transition. It’s part me and part someone I’ve never met. It is a fog that hovers over the line between fiction and reality.
The Rabbit Holes
I try to avoid the rabbit holes and the traps of writing stream of consciousness style. I am not a planner. I do not have outlines and index cards and I do not write out character development. My characters are who they are as my mind moulds their personality and their ideals.
I exchanged some comments with a fellow writer this morning and it is so interesting how we each tackle things differently. I will not even consider editing — especially during NaNoWriMo — until the writing is finished. That takes enough out of me. But I do understand when you fall into a rabbit hole, you need an out. And editing may be the only way out.
Outside the Fog
It takes an hour or so for the writing fog to dissipate. I am still in it, though. But I can focus on the hows and whys I started down a particular path. What was I trying to accomplish? How far down a path can I go without losing my reader. I must be careful not to overthink it though. It is a very precarious line to walk.
Trusted Readers
In Stephen King’s book On Writing, he talks about the importance of having a “trusted reader” — someone who will read your work and give you an honest critique. This person cannot be afraid of hurting your feelings and is willing give you honest feedback about what makes sense and what throws the storyline off.
My sister, BJ, was my trusted reader. She knew me and she wrote eloquently herself. She was a call it like I see it kind of person. My sister passed away and I miss her in so many ways much more important than this. But there is a certain vulnerability a writer cannot have with just anyone. It takes a person you trust to expose yourself in such a raw way.
Writing Weather
I am much more successful writing on days like today. It’s overcast and there is a light trickle of rain falling. I find this weather relaxing but it does not entice me outside. Curling up with my laptop on my lap seems the ideal way to spend the day. I wonder if I am the only one that likes certain days better than others when I write.
Now, it’s time for a quick shower and a bite of lunch. Then back to the writing. By that time I hope I have answered the question: “Should she?”
“In many cases when a reader puts a story aside because it ‘got boring,’ the boredom arose because the writer grew enchanted with his powers of description and lost sight of his priority, which is to keep the ball rolling.”
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