Yesterday, I spent several hours with Susan Bischoff. This is always fun, not to mention that she always inspires me to write. We talked about a lot of things. First, she helped me expand on the plotting I was trying to do, giving me lots of good advice about plot points and where they should be in my story. And I finally admitted to someone (Susan!) that I had been finding excuses not to write because every time I thought of my WIP, I got this scared feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’m AFRAID of my manuscript. (And Susan GETS this.) There, I admitted it to all of you. Honestly, this is very new to me. I used to be able to churn out words with no problem, they all made sense, and I wasn’t afraid to publish them. This fear of my own work is SO not me. But I guess it IS me, isn’t it? I’ve never understood writers that were afraid. Now I get it. You know what, though? I’m not going to let myself be held back by that fear any longer. I’m tired of it, and I’m stronger than this. So there! *blows raspberry at the fear*
So my goals for this week (baby steps, no long term goals):
1) Write at least three hours this week
2) Do at least 15 minutes of housework per day using the FlyLady challenges
3) Get back to my healthy eating habits. (I’ve been doing great on exercise, but my old eating habits are sliding back into my life.)
After this week, we’ll see what needs to be done next.
Oh, yes, I’ve had the fear before! I can sympathize completely. If I remember right, what helped me at the time was temporarily putting away the project tied up with the fear and writing something completely different that was as FUN as I could come up with! 🙂
Good luck with your goals and finding a better head space. *hugs*
Thanks, Ruth. I seriously thought about writing something else for awhile, but I was afraid I wouldn’t come back to my WIP. I’m going to try to work through the fear. Because it’s making me MAD. LOL
I completely get the fear. The thing is, the only way to banish it is to plunge right in. Kinda cruel, but it gets the job done. And then you feel awesome! 🙂
You’re the type of person who does what needs to be done, and you don’t let fear hold you back. That’s how I intend to be. I used to be, so I don’t know what happened this time.
Maybe I’m circling around my new story for just the same reason. It seems a bit daunting because I don’t fully know yet where the story’s going, so I nibble away at it and then back off. No real writing is accomplished. Just little scenelets. But these micro-scenes will add up. I’m trusting the process and appreciate your comments here, for I will dive right into those 3×5 cards and plot points . . . tomorrow. Hooray for those baby steps! May you have a great week.
I sort of have the opposite problem. I know where my story is going. I’m just having trouble getting there. 🙂
Hi, Lauralynn. I have the corkboard cleared, the timeline set, and I know my characters. But the history that provides the backdrop is a little fuzzy as are the key players along the way. I do the underlying theme (and premise), but which protag do I care about most? Catriona — who travels across country disguised as a boy in 1840s or Dougal — who travels with the Fur Brigade Express? Will they be united by story end? I just don’t know yet, and I’m not sure I can do justice to the ‘tale’ IF I try to tell both stories. But each day I will write. May you find the way to ‘get there’ with your story.
I’ve had that same fear, fear of my WIP. It’s completely irrational, but it’s still REAL.
I’ve found that if I take the time to relax, even meditate, before I pick up my pen, the fear dissipates. Everything looks and feels clearer when I’m calm. 🙂
I love the baby steps, esp the 15 minutes of housework a la the Flylady. From now on, I’m going to do 15 minutes of housetending, then reward myself with something nice…
All the very best with your goals, Lauralynn.
I’m glad I’m not the only one to experience this fear. Apparently, many writers do. It’s so foreign to me because it’s never really happened like this before. The way to overcome it, as far as I can tell, is just to sit down and write. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right? 🙂
Oh wow. Your post was like looking in a mirror for me lately, minus the one-on-one time with Susan, of course! I let fear completely eat me and my work for far too long. The funny thing is, I still feel it, sometimes stronger than ever, I’m just dealing with it differently. More head on. And I’ve adapted a prayer I have for fear to make it specific to fear of writing. But I noticed that fear of writing was strongest when I had fear in other areas too, like bleed over or something. So I’m working on the whole concept, and we’ll see how it pays off. Please do keep us updated, Lauralynn! I find your posts so helpful!
Hi Vicki. I think I need to work on that prayer, too. And I have noticed that when I’m LAZY in other areas, I’m lazy in writing. That could also be true for fear. We need to just take control and do what needs to be done. Not so easy, but doable.
I haven’t written in a while, been editing a lot. Looking forward to getting back to it myself. Good luck.
We all need to get to work! 🙂 Maybe summer has something to do with it. Wait…the weather is different where you are, isn’t it? LOL
I have to admit, I’ve just been plain lazy and finding so many more things to occupy my time with then writing, mostly because I find editing (for the thousandth time) soooooooo tedious. I will no longer be lazy, and I will not only get back to work, but keep on working until I’m done.
Good luck baby stepping your way back into a groove.
Let’s all just get back to work! 🙂
Thanks, Chris!
Oh! Lauralynn! Let’s hope you stare down that *fear* without blinking. :}
I get it. I have so little time to write lately that I fear I will write without my *soul*…ya know? It’s hard to switch gears and get inside my characters after a grueling day. Sending *writing boldness* your way. Hahaha.
I intend to! 🙂
I get really envious sometimes of writers that get to do it full time. I don’t mean those with small children, because they have a full time job, too, but those of us who would have all day to work on things if we didn’t work full time. Such possibilities. But, you know, that’s still an excuse for me, because I find myself doing other things when I should be writing. The only way to prevent that is to take control and do what I need to.
Argh, I know how that fear feels… Glad you were able to talk through it! I’m jealous of you and Susan meeting up 🙂
Sure you guys don’t want to take an East Coast trip sometime? Montreal is lovely in autumn!
Deniz, if my books would sell better, I could travel to a lot of places. 🙂
Note to self… promotion needed!
Seriously, maybe I could interview you on my blog?
Sure I would do an interview. 🙂
Awesome 🙂 Will start compiling questions and let you know!
🙂
I can so relate! I know exactly what to do with Catching Kent, but I am afraid to do it. I’ve never been afraid either. I’ve had to push through a book because I didn’t know exactly where I was going or because I was getting the urge to write something else and had to keep going so I could finish that story first. But this idea of being afraid to proceed because I’m afraid people will think the idea I have is a total flop. LOL But I also know the story has to go that way.
Is that what is happening with you or is there something else holding you back?
I’m afraid I won’t be able to arrange my thoughts into something coherent. I’m actually halfway through the book, but I’m afraid the rest of it will be a mess. I know what has to happen in the “black moment” of the story, and I know how it gets resolved In the end. But I need to get to those points, and I have to get the back story in there somewhere.