I have this effervescent burst of feeling, like freedom in my veins…
It is balanced, of course, by knowing that although homework may be on hold until the next class, work is never done. I have a novel to write. A short novel, granted, as it is a YA book, but still. I plan to have it finished by end of June, which means I will be pulling the story forcibly from my brain as I go on day to day. Right now, the plan is to write 1750 words every day, starting today. I got an early boost by having written 1340 words last night, and added to the existing story, I have a cushion of just over 6K words to begin with. Not a lot of buffer.
Part of being a 'professional writer' is that I can write whatever I need to, whenever I need to. Yes, there is some waiting for inspiration to strike, but mostly that is a need to kickstart the brain, and there are various techniques for doing it. The "muse" is nothing more nor less than my own subconcious, something Kate Paulk gets into in depth in today's Mad Genius post. I've discovered to my amusement that my subconcious is pretty well trained already when it comes to school. I was fighting to NOT write all during the week before finals.
While this won't be easy, I don't expect it to be terribly difficult, either. It's a matter of putting my snub little nose to the grindstone and keeping it there. While doing other things, too. With summer coming on, I'm about to start turning down bookings, my weekends are as full for this month as I really want them to be. I've been approached for another gig in the writing world I said 'yes' to, which has the potential to be a really interesting, if tedious, piece of work. And I badly want to get some art in there. I've had to again give up taking an art class at school. I have a gift certificate for a local arts center, but it's unlikely I'll ever be able to use that, either, due to lack of time. So if I want to create art and improve, I'll have to do it on my own. I have books, and that's how I have learned so much in my life, it's not a bad thing.
I'm meandering this morning. There is rain falling quietly, the house is peaceful in the early morning, and I am feeling like myself for the first time in a week of struggling with a chest cold. I'll finish up with this, and then write for a bit before making breakfast. And you who write, here's a few things I will do when I get stuck on the story (Hopefully not all today!) and need to jog it loose.
Take a walk (gets me moving and blood flow to the brain)
Wash dishes (something about busy hands, empty mind)
Take a shower (again, my brain clicks with water)
Put on music (and maybe dance, back to movement)
Bake or cook (my last resort. We gain weight when I am writing!)
work in the garden (I find it very meditative)
With all the rain, I can't do the thing I am looking most forward to this summer, and taking my office outside. Oh well, there will be other days! Loving the bluetooth keyboard and tablet, I took it with us last night when we went out to our local diner-place and wrote a thousand words while my ever-patient First Reader read his book.
My office away from home: tablet and bluetooth keyboard.