Some days, you just can't shut off your brain. Literally every little thing gives you moments of inspiration, and you have to be quick enough to jot down those ideas before the next one interrupts. Then there are days where inspiration is so dry that you can't even put a single sentence together. Who's with me????
When I'm really, really stuck, I default to one of the following:
*Mindless entertainment in the form of tv, movies, books, or games on my Ipad
*A stroll down the street or at the park
*Cooking
*Talking to friends and family
*Brainstorming with my writing buddy to map out a plan to continue from where I got stuck
In the 2 years it took for me to complete the final round of The Ellises, Book #1 A Place to Call Home, I definitely took lots of walks, became a better cook, came to appreciate different forms of humor and writing, had a lot of ups and downs with my health in terms of weight and agility/stamina, enjoyed ample conversations and made memories with my loved ones, and grew closer to my writing buddy. All good things! It makes having writer's block a little easier to bear, knowing that in the midst of it, I am still productive IN LIFE, even if I'm not writing. It's something I have to keep reminding myself, so I don't beat myself up when I don't adhere to my self-imposed deadlines for my next novel.
However, that doesn't keep me from still getting irked about the element of time. I know every writer is different, but in any other arena (i.e. non-fiction) I can crank out content on a deadline - even if I have an hour. But with fiction...it just takes me longer! Mainly due to dialogue. The whys and hows of characters can be tricky for me, and sometimes I have to keep asking the same journalistic questions that frame an interview to put together a conversation. So, 9 times out of 10, that's my hangup. If I can picture what my characters will say, why they say it, and if it makes sense, only then can I keep going. I know everything I want to do AFTER that conversation, but until it's written out in its entirety, "fahgeddaboudit."
So if you ever are around me, know that although I may seem in a daze, I'm talking to myself, or I lose track of time, it's probably because I'm working out dialogues in my head. I may look eccentric, but I'm really hard at work. I may act depressed, but that's just part of being creative. And since genius is next to crazy, well, I suppose it all ties in...
