Came in through the bathroom window
Feb. 2nd, 2005 04:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pjthompsonI so did not want to write today.
I'm closing in on 50,000 words on the latest novel. I finished chapter 13 yesterday, handed it off to my local readers, and I was feeling like a snot-nosed punk and rebellious. I just did not want to launch into chapter 14—although I started the first scene of that yesterday, too. So I gave myself permission not to write if I really really really didn't want to.
"But why don't you just read over what you wrote yesterday?" I asked myself. "If you really really really don't want to write after that, you have permission not to."
This is my usual trick for tricking myself into a writing session. After rereading what I wrote the day before and doing an edit, I'm usually well into the writer mind frame and off and away to the new stuff. And even though I know I'm tricking myself because—well, I'm me and I can read my own mind—I allow myself to be tricked anyway.
The thing is, these little guys showed up in today's new material: strange little creatures that popped up out of nowhere that weren't part of the plan but fit the plan beautifully. Where did those little guys come from? They were fully formed when they arrived, ready for action. And I liked them and I was so glad I wrote them.
And I couldn't help wondering if I'd given into my punkiness today and not written, would those little guys have shown up? Did they require a certain day and a certain set of circumstances to appear, or were they there lurking in my subconscious waiting all this time for their big moment? Sometimes when my characters come through I'm just amazed.
"Where did you come from?" I ask them.
They shrug and try to look cool. "I'm with the band."
I have a friend who has a theory that all characters are waiting in some great Otherwhere for the right writer to come along and give them an opportunity. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but some days . . .
I'm closing in on 50,000 words on the latest novel. I finished chapter 13 yesterday, handed it off to my local readers, and I was feeling like a snot-nosed punk and rebellious. I just did not want to launch into chapter 14—although I started the first scene of that yesterday, too. So I gave myself permission not to write if I really really really didn't want to.
"But why don't you just read over what you wrote yesterday?" I asked myself. "If you really really really don't want to write after that, you have permission not to."
This is my usual trick for tricking myself into a writing session. After rereading what I wrote the day before and doing an edit, I'm usually well into the writer mind frame and off and away to the new stuff. And even though I know I'm tricking myself because—well, I'm me and I can read my own mind—I allow myself to be tricked anyway.
The thing is, these little guys showed up in today's new material: strange little creatures that popped up out of nowhere that weren't part of the plan but fit the plan beautifully. Where did those little guys come from? They were fully formed when they arrived, ready for action. And I liked them and I was so glad I wrote them.
And I couldn't help wondering if I'd given into my punkiness today and not written, would those little guys have shown up? Did they require a certain day and a certain set of circumstances to appear, or were they there lurking in my subconscious waiting all this time for their big moment? Sometimes when my characters come through I'm just amazed.
"Where did you come from?" I ask them.
They shrug and try to look cool. "I'm with the band."
I have a friend who has a theory that all characters are waiting in some great Otherwhere for the right writer to come along and give them an opportunity. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but some days . . .
no subject
Date: 2005-02-03 07:28 am (UTC)I think I'm going to adopt that trick of yours. I've been letting too many days pass without writing at all. And too many people are lapping me as far as finishing books goes! :-)
So these little guys will show up in Chapter 13? You have me all curious about them now. Hey, you have Chapter 4 up, don't you? I need to get cracking on my queue so I can get to that...
no subject
Date: 2005-02-03 10:41 am (UTC)On my "conduit" days it's difficult to brush it aside completely.
I think I'm going to adopt that trick of yours.
I find that giving myself permission to funk off works in a lot of areas. Except housework. I seem all too ready to take myself up on that permission. :-/
So these little guys will show up in Chapter 13? You have me all curious about them now.
Hopefully they'll live up to their billing. :-)