Wednesday, September 23, 2009

A Slow Start

I've been in a bit of a writing funk for the past month. My edits on the first portion of After the Fall went well and I left for my trip excited to write the ending, but when I got home, writing was the last thing I wanted to do. Lucky for me I had plenty to help me procrastinate, but at some point last week I knew I needed to buckle down.

It went slowly at first, but then I wrote a flash piece and my writing gears loosened up. Not much, but enough to get things going again. I wrote an average of 400-500 words per day -- good, but not what I want. Then Saturday, while a hyperactive puppy and equally excited four-year old nephew swirled around me, I knocked out 500 words in under an hour. Then Ibis took them both to the beach and I decided it was now or never. I cranked out 1500 words over the course of the afternoon, then yesterday I finished that chapter. Phew!

Last night I even managed to start the next chapter, so today's session should hopefully start more smoothly.

I also submitted a short story to another publication -- something I've been doing steadily but let slide when I planned my trip. Hopefully I can keep it up.

14 comments:

Adam said...

Woo, keep it up, Mel!

I'm like that after a break, too. Takes me a while to build back up from "no work" to "not enough work". :)


Adam

Lisa Aldin said...

Awesome! Don't let those writing funks get your down. They happen too often in the world of writing...

Janna Leadbetter said...

Great job! And I love having the next chapter or scene started, and knowing exactly where it's going. Keep at it!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks everyone. :)

Adam, combine that feeling with "ugh, I'm really back in @#%$^ Mexico, and I'm right there.

Lisa, I need to remind myself that. I usually know it'll pass, but then I get frustrated with myself for not being more productive.

Janna, I think I work best that way. Rather than berate myself for not writing more last night, I was happy that I'd left where I can pick up easily today.

JLC said...

I can relate with having puppy and nephew over. When I am hit with inspiration, I have to type quickly in spurts. Then, when the munchkins are watching a movie, I suddenly have 12ooo words typed. I think its a desperate race to tumble the words out before the next distraction. :)

Ex.) I had to stop in the middle of this post to break up an argument.

Glad you are back on track. (Even when you are stuck in %^&^% Mexico.)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

JLC, now that it's quiet, raining, and no one is bothering me, I'm finding it hard to work. Apparently I NEED the distractions & the threat that I won't get the time if I don't fight for it.

I hope the kidlets are behaving now!

JLC said...

LOL - They are. Just a sibling skirmish over a favorite toy. :)

Enjoy your rainy day!

erica m. chapman said...

I know what you mean. I've been in a funk too. Sounds like you are doing good with yours :) Sometimes we just need a deadline to perk us up.
A nephew and a puppy! Whew! And you still had time and energy to write! That's awesome :)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

JLC, it's made me very productive!

Erica, I think Adam had it when he mentioned it taking awhile to get back into a groove after being away from writing. I also wonder if the fact that it's taking me a long time to read the book I'm reading affects the speed of my writing. Who knows...

Robin said...

Yay! Even when you slack off, you're consistent. I'm so impressed. When I slack off it means months of doing absolutely nada.

Benjamin Solah said...

Getting going after a slow period is hard. I know that more than most as I'm prone to slumps.

Best of luck picking up and congrats on the submission. I've been submitting more than usual too.

Anonymous said...

Nice work, Melanie. :)

I have those slow days, too. But I do find if I write something, no matter how little or how crummy, the flow returns.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Robin, I think if I had a job and/or kids I might slack off for longer, but as it is I don't feel like I have an excuse.

Good luck Benjamin!

Gypsy, same for me. 100 words per day is my bare minimum. It moves the scene forward a hair so that I'm not staring at the same paragraph for days on end.

Nadine said...

That's awesome that you submitted another story for pub!! I need to do that but have also been procrastinating. Maybe I'll get my butt in gear next week. :)