4 Paragraphs of Procrastination
Today I wrote a long list of the things I thought I should do. So far, I've done about half of those things, and I'm grouchy lately, because I want to write stories. Right now at work I'm preparing to publicize this new book about writing exercises and the writing life. The bitter, bitter irony is that right now, more than anything in the entire world, I want to have time to write fiction (along with everything else - yes, I know that you know that I want to be thin and healthy and perfectly organized, too). Reading this book is making me angry and jealous, partly because reading it is taking up my precious time when I feel like I should be writing.
It's a good book. I'd like to try out some of the ideas in it, and I agree with the author that I really should "make the time" to write. But how does one "make time"? HOW?
I have to cut something out of my life, and there's nothing at the moment I can bear to cut. I guess I'm just lucky that some huge, inconvenient problem hasn't cropped up for me. I mean, I guess I'm writing now.
Anyway, I'm off to work on this mean, sniffling character I created for a story I started writing. I think I'll give her some huge, inconvenient problem and see if she can "make time" to do anything creative.
posted by 
ing at 8:56 PM
6 Comments:
Hey, I have a writer's block if you want to borrow it. No, seriously, it's a block of post-it-like notes that have suggestions for your writing process. It's pretty cool. Hey, maybe you can criticize my fiction... http://moreeveryinstant.blogspot.com
8:51 AM
I quit my job. Today. That's one way to get time to write, but I wouldn't recommend it!
So, I'm going to be jobless in a month's time. Will I have time to write though? Probably not.
I personally believe that those times we're not writing but really want to, are the times when our brains are putting together solid storylines, plots, characters, etc. So when we finally have time to write we've got all this stuff to work with.
My advice is to carry around a moleskine book or similar and jot down everything when it comes into your head. Even if that's squashed up against some oink on the BART (is that what it's called? I've almost zero SF knowledge beyond movies, some hotel reviews I wrote 3 years ago and a few friends who live there and constantly tell me what I'm missing).
Anyway, you probably already do that.
You'll find the time when that time is right. Until then, stop beating yourself up about it.
A mutual friend - we'll call her G - once said to me that it can take years to write one sentence, to labour/labor over the words again and again until they're right. And darn it, she's bloody right!
Enjoy your life - well, you seem to be - and before you know it you'll be filling up A4 legal pads (that movie thing again) and popping out stories like some women do babies.
Heck, you know what I mean!
Word verification: aufrekt. How beautiful and yet meaningless.
purplesimon out...
4:38 AM
Bloody hell, I rambled on there. Sorry.
purplesimon out...
4:38 AM
Sleep is overrated... Thanks for the Theroux review, he's a lot like Jimmy Buffett, they're both so stuck on themselves and I enjoy both of their writing, but I can only stomach a book by either one every two years of so--from now on it'll be Theroux on even years, Jimmy on odd.
btw, I haven't been able to write satire in so long, but last night I watched Palin's speech and it flowed so easily
5:48 PM
Ren:
Sure, send it my way! And if you have a job, send me one of those, while you're at it, 'kay?
_____________
Purps:
Why did you quit your job? Couldn't take it? Not interested?
As you can see, my job was sort of taken away from me. Maybe it's a big old sign! Maybe it's my cue, my chance, my um . . .
Um
uh
_____________
Purps:
Ramble on. I'm afraid I'm at a loss for words at the moment, but they'll come back to me soon.
Life is kind of rough.
_____________
sage:
Yes, that's exactly how I feel about Theroux. He's kind of into himself, and that can ruin his voice, I guess.
6:46 PM
I would send you a job if I had one to send... I don't think you're the kind of gal that would go play with a deadly virus in a space suit.
You wear the space suit, not the virus.
That's about all the jobs I can hand out clear across the US.
7:25 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home