Remember the first time you ever finished your first paragraph? Page? Chapter? Novel? How exciting it was to create such a fantastic world of wonderful characters that meant everything to you?
Now with so many voices pulling you left and right from alpha readers, editors, form letters of rejection, so on and so forth, the art may feel a little tarnished. Maybe? Just a little?
Be honest.
Personally, I believe I have hit a speed bump. The little writer in me has tasted the 'real world' of writing and now she feels timid. She has lost her way and needs to be reminded the very reason why she started writing way back when.
This has never happened to me (and I have been writing for over ten years!). I've had many blessings, prayed many times, fasted. Read many books in between. You name it. I know the magic is still flowing around in there somewhere, I can sense its taunting presence. But lately, it has been very hard for me to recapture it and forge it into a single word!
I believe my muses have packed up their bags and gone on vacation! No! Don't leave me!
Has this ever happened to you? How did you deal with the void? What did you do to recapture your magic?
For me, at these times I just keep on writing. Maybe take a break from what I've been working on and instead write something I can get excited about. Or I read something a book that excites me. Or watch a movie that excites me. Anything to get the creativity and excitement flowing again.
ReplyDeleteThis has also happened to me. I've done everything you mentioned and then some, with no success. But, then I took out some old work of mine and read it. I was amazed at how much better I had become and what I had learned in such a short time. It renewed my confidence. I actually took one of my OLD works and rewrote a portion of it. It got my juiced flowing and the muse was back. Might give it a try.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post, Elizabeth. I'm thinking about this too, since I got a significant rejection today. Form rejection letters can be frustrating, but they don't hurt like a rejection that comes when you know your full manuscript was read and carefully considered. No query letter or synopsis to blame it on - the book simply wasn't good enough.
ReplyDeleteAll I can do is what Christine said - look at how far I've come. I learned so much in writing that book, and I've never had a manuscript make it so far. Next time I'm going to shoot the moon!
Hey Rebecca, that doesn't necessarily mean the book isn't good enough. Maybe they just aren't buying or selling what you've got at this point in time. Regardless, get that head back up and make it so awesome they'll kick themselves in a few years eh?
ReplyDeleteOn the subject...I sometimes hit burn out--where creative juices cease to flow or the pressure is too great. My solution is to take a breather. I burn an entire day, or week "playing"--imbibing myself in service, spending time with the kids, being silly, giggling, talking to family, getting physical exercise...and then I try again. Taking your head out of the game for a breather does wonders. Best of luck!
It's sooo true. I definately go on a roller coaster with my writing (like I tend to do with everything in my life). The lows of not being able to write are hard. But when I do finally start writing again, it feels so good. It feels like magic all over again. So don't mourn the low times cuz they help us appreciate the good.
ReplyDeleteA trick I have heard of (if your really desparate) is to cut out as many words from your life as possible. For example, no tv, reading, newspaper, computer, or talking on the phone. (not that this is feasible for a long period of time.) We are such verbal creatures that you will suddenly have those voices back screaming in your head.
Yes, this happened to me right after I got my agent. I couldn't write for about a month and I was so scared. When I realized it was because I was too worried about what someone else was going to think of my writing I had to snap out of it. It still took me two weeks after that realization before I could string together a sentence. Finally, I just let go and wrote for me, telling myself it was okay if it turned out badly. It worked. You just have to give yourself a little pep talk now and again (as if we're not already crazy enough).
ReplyDeleteRebecca, hang in there... I've sent you a message on facebook!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for every one of your responses! I wish we could connect face to face and form an awesome writer's group.... YOU ALL ROCK!