Yesterday, I posted about what it takes for a wannabe to become a writer. Fortitude and attitude. Today, I’m going to discuss something a little different. What does a writer do to keep going?
This has been on my mind lately. I finished my last project in October of 2007. It’s now May of 2008 and I’ve probably written no more than 25,000 words of fiction all year. It’s a pathetic word count.
There were some unusual circumstances involved, but there’s also an unhealthy dose of lack-of-interest. I have a novel sitting in the Baen slush pile, so it isn’t a question of finishing what I start. I have the start of a new novel sitting on my hard drive. That word count will grow, but it’s not growing quickly enough. I’ve hardly worked on it, preferring to work on my guitar skills instead.
I’m not sure if it’s a case of my creative juices needing to be rerouted into whatever catches my fancy in a given year, or if it’s just a case of me writing the wrong story.
I’m still recovering from several extremely stressful months at work that left me mentally fatigued and without the energy or time to write much. Until September, I had been writing almost every day. I can’t seem to get that back. The thing is, you can get hundreds or even thousands of suggestions on how to get back on the wagon. They won’t help. Ultimately, it comes down to the same thing the new writer faces: attitude and fortitude. It’s something the writer must decide for him or her self.
So that’s my struggle. I want to get moving on the novel, but it just seems to drag. I don’t think it’s the story, it’s just me, and its soemthing I have to overcome on my own.