Now that it's summer and all my kids are home (except my college age) I hear a lot of, "I don't want to do chores." "That will take me allllll daaaaaay." "Why do we have to work on summer vacation? Vacation means no work."
And I think to myself I am just that way when it comes to my writing sometimes. "I don't want to revise that." "Fixing that plot hole will take me alllll daaaaay." "Why do I have to work so hard at researching? Fiction writing means I can just make it all up."
Of course, as a mother I watch as my children start their chores and realize it only takes about half an hour or so to finish a chore once they dig in. And then they realize once the work is done they can take the rest of the day for their vacation and doing the things they want to do.
As a writer, I realize that once I get into it, the revising seems to go smoothly and the plot hole I thought was so big was only just a crack and I can fix it without a lot of trouble. And once my research is done, I can do the fun stuff.
It all comes down to the just get started rule. Just get started and before you know it, it's fun and done.
How do you deal with the writer's whiny voice when it starts to echo in your head?
I'm an award-winning romantic suspense novelist, but in my free time I love to review books and my fave TV shows, as well as pass along great book deals, and eat Canadian chocolate---not necessarily in that order.
8 comments:
I wrote a post over at Mormon Mommy Writers that deals with this problem- it's about an article I read on how to "externalize" your writing using a contract. I think it's a great idea and I may use it this summer!
(http://mormonmommywriters.blogspot.com/2012/06/under-contract.html)
I don't get the whiny writers voice. I get the sleepy writers voice. I work in the morning to get all my chores done, then I plop down to write, and start yawning. When I write first, all the things I need to do hover in the back of my mind. It's frustrating.
I had this just last night! I wrote down my interlude scene and wasn't entirely sure where I wanted to go next. But I hadn't written a whole page yet! My commitment to the blog yesterday was a page a day! Aw, man, do I haaaaaaaaaave to? So, I wrote the beginning of the next scene, even though it came straight out of the ether and wasn't remotely scripted. In fact, I'd thought I'd be handling the next scene in a completely different way, but when I started this new way, it was exciting.
Quick out of context poll, Which is more enticing to read:
-- MC reports an attack, police can find no evidence of other party, think MC is making it up
-- MC is held for questioning by the authorities because they think he's working with the other party
I don't think I've been writing long enough to have experienced "whiny writer's voice." But I know about it in real life, and I also know that the solution, as you pointed out, is just to get on with things. Before you know it, all the obligatory stuff is done and you spend the rest of the time working on the fun parts. Of course, knowing this doesn't always mean I do it ... but I'm getting better! :-)
The only whiny voice I hear is when I don't get to write. When the other parts of my life interfere, I'm not happy. But someone needs to shop for food, and who will cook it if it's not me? We'll run out of clean clothes if I don't do the laundry. Paper plates were a brilliant idea, Julie. Plastic cups to drink out of, too. But they tend to flame up and burn on the stove top. Pew!!
I wrote for 5 hours yesterday. Today? I just got started.
@Jon--Exit poles are notoriously flawed! Just as Mayor Barret of Milwaukee.
My opinion to your question about which is more exciting? The main character being nabbed on suspicion of being a bad guy. How fun is that?
I don't have the "It'll take forever" voice I have the "The editor is going to get to the end of the book and cancel the contract." voice. I just have to remember that they like it and that I am going to be published and that there are people out there who love the book ending and all. It's like the good stuff gets forgotten and all I hear is the negative. I try to tell myself that there is alot more positive said than negative.
Janice, I've done the sleepy writers voice, too!
Thanks Kasey!
Jon, I thought the MC being thought of as working with the other party was intriguing. This story sounds intriguing!
Melanie, that's where I'm at, too. Working on it and hopefully getting better!
Debra, you make me laugh!
Michelle, I can't wait to read your book. :)
Yes. Why is it so hard to get started sometimes? I thunk that next time I get on my kids for being whiny, I'm going to take my own advice and: just suck it up and get it done!
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