Sometimes I forget the MOST important piece of writing advice... Well, maybe I don't forget, maybe I just ignore it for a while. It's hard to do the thing, and I don't want to do it. Doing things isn't fun. Scrolling on social media and refreshing my news feed seems much more fun.
Well, not fun, but the activity seems more desirable at the time.
It doesn't make sense, does it? Writing is my PASSION. It is my favourite thing to do. Sometimes, when i'm in a flow state and full of ideas, it comes easy. The words flow effortlessly. Other times, i'd rather SCRUB A TOILET than write any words for anything.
Literally.
I would actually choose to scrub our toilet than sit down and write any words.
Why?
Uhh:
Lack of inspiration
Lack of motivation
It's hard to see the payoff
It doesn't feel worth the effort
Fatigue
Laziness
Mental state
etc etc etc
Sometimes it's all of the above.
Other times, I have NO IDEA.
Sometimes I can open my WIP and write, while other times I open it and then leave it open in the background while I avoid looking at it and waste time checking my emails then filling my shopping cart with items that I will never actually buy.
Sometimes I fiddle with my WIP and end up with LESS WORDS than I started with.
Ugh. Now, that doesn't count at all does it?
At the moment, writing is HARD WORK. It feels like it takes EFFORT. It doesn't flow easily, and I need to remind myself of the most important piece of advice: "Just write the f*ing book".
But, you know what? Maybe sometimes, "just write the f*ing book" looks a lot like NOT writing the freaking book. It looks like avoiding going near the stinking book. It looks like just thinking about the bloody book. It looks like talking about the book, or talking about how I'm not writing the book. It looks like cleaning the toilet and a negative word count. But if i'm thinking about the book, then it is still working on the book, right?
This is why social media, online shopping, reading the news, and checking emails is NOT productive. These things keep my brain busy and occupy my thoughts, leaving no space for thinking about writing (or not writing).
Uhhh okay... That's all I've got. This is me NOT writing my book, but it is me thinking about how I am NOT writing my book, which is me kinda working on my book. I think. Maybe.
Maybe not.
If you see me, I give you permission to give me a gentle kick in the backside and tell me to get back in my hole and WRITE MY FRICKING BOOK!!!!
Much love,
Marley xx
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