Dec 02 2008
Writing Down the Bones
I’m feeling exhausted and should get off the computer very soon. I’ve been trying to reduce my ’screen time’, a necessary hazard of being a freelance writer, and do more ‘hands-on’ writing. And reading.
I find my energy levels are better when I spend more time relaxing in the evenings rather than trying to do too much. It helps having my Thursday afternoons ‘designated’ for writing, but even that is nowhere near enough time!
This is what I’m currently working on:
1) A personal essay for the brilliant magazine Brain, Child.
2) Ongoing articles for Suite 101. I’m behind on this, and need to write 5 articles for them this month! How to do this with nearly a week away over Christmas? I have a list of 26 topics to write about, but it’s having the time to sit down and write them.
3) Re-drafting my novel, which stands at about 100 pages.
4) Blogging - of course!
And, er, I think that’s enough?
Sometimes I get frustrated at how SLOW everything is. It takes me weeks to draft an article. Then weeks to get it perfect enough to finally send off. Then weeks to hear back from the publication. But I have to remind myself, what’s the hurry? I found a great blog today called ‘The Other Mother which is a free writing workshop for mothers. It reminded me to write what I can, when I can, and that that is ENOUGH.
Yesterday I was reading a journal from 2006, and I had no real writing routine in place then. I was musing, at the time, about how I wanted to write more, and yet couldn’t get down to it. Ironic that I was still childless then, and now, I manage to have a pretty non-negotiable writing slot going on every day. Focus. Determination. Motivation.
However, I’d like to have a working relationship with my ‘writing self’, where it’s less about ‘coercion’ - “You HAVE to sit down and write RIGHT NOW…or…you’re just not good enough…you’re not a REAL writer, etc etc…” (As Natalie Goldberg, author of ‘Writing Down the Bones’ said: “Once you are writing you cannot be stopped. The critic is not stronger than you.”) and more about WANTING to write, and being sufficiently flexible with myself to rest when I need to. For example, tonight, when I have a very busy week and have been teaching yoga, volunteering, and ‘mothering hard’ today.
Right. Now I’m quite inspired by that list. I might write an article on a raw food Christmas for Suite 101. Or at least brainstorm it. Or I might go and read my book.
