On surly characters and reluctant writing
May. 10th, 2006 11:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
katiefooleryWriting’s not always fun.
I know that sounds like a horrible thing to say, but it’s true. Actually, it’s not that surprising. When the term ‘glamorous occupations’ is brought up, one’s mind doesn’t automatically think ‘writer’. You don’t suddenly picture a writer getting up early and sitting in front of their computer in rumpled pyjamas and bed-hair and think: yes! I’d like that to be me!
I do dream about it, though. Well, not the bit with the pyjamas and especially not the bit about getting up early. The idea of just being a writer, though - that appeals to me. In my ideal world, I’d rise at a reasonable time, shower, then somehow manage to make my hair look absolutely perfect through force of will alone. Next would come a lovely breakfast (cooked by my Timothy). After lingering over this, I’d glide to my desk, wearing a stylish outfit that just shouted ‘I write for a living!’, and sit down to tap away at my computer in an incredibly elegant, not to mention efficient, manner.
There’d probably be a cat there, too.
And a window with a lovely view over some fields.
And a cuppa. Definitely a cuppa.
I’m sorry to say, the reality is more like this: get home from work, make a hot milo, sit down at the computer with my top half decked out in work clothes and my bottom half enclosed in tracky-dacks... procrastinate... write.
Sometimes it’s great. The words flow, the characters come to life and the story unfolds itself like unto a cat stretching after a long, restful nap.
And then there are the other times. The times where I write about one word every ten minutes. The times when the characters are surly and won’t say what I want them to say. The times when I lose faith in the story altogether.
Those are the times when writing’s hard.
What I’d like to know is, how does everyone else keep up the momentum? How do you remind yourself why you’re writing this story in the first place?
In short, when your writing’s down in the dumps, how do you cheer it up?
I know that sounds like a horrible thing to say, but it’s true. Actually, it’s not that surprising. When the term ‘glamorous occupations’ is brought up, one’s mind doesn’t automatically think ‘writer’. You don’t suddenly picture a writer getting up early and sitting in front of their computer in rumpled pyjamas and bed-hair and think: yes! I’d like that to be me!
I do dream about it, though. Well, not the bit with the pyjamas and especially not the bit about getting up early. The idea of just being a writer, though - that appeals to me. In my ideal world, I’d rise at a reasonable time, shower, then somehow manage to make my hair look absolutely perfect through force of will alone. Next would come a lovely breakfast (cooked by my Timothy). After lingering over this, I’d glide to my desk, wearing a stylish outfit that just shouted ‘I write for a living!’, and sit down to tap away at my computer in an incredibly elegant, not to mention efficient, manner.
There’d probably be a cat there, too.
And a window with a lovely view over some fields.
And a cuppa. Definitely a cuppa.
I’m sorry to say, the reality is more like this: get home from work, make a hot milo, sit down at the computer with my top half decked out in work clothes and my bottom half enclosed in tracky-dacks... procrastinate... write.
Sometimes it’s great. The words flow, the characters come to life and the story unfolds itself like unto a cat stretching after a long, restful nap.
And then there are the other times. The times where I write about one word every ten minutes. The times when the characters are surly and won’t say what I want them to say. The times when I lose faith in the story altogether.
Those are the times when writing’s hard.
What I’d like to know is, how does everyone else keep up the momentum? How do you remind yourself why you’re writing this story in the first place?
In short, when your writing’s down in the dumps, how do you cheer it up?
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no subject
on 2006-05-10 02:32 am (UTC)I don't. If it's just a matter of the words not coming, or not coming right, I tell myself fifty words for the day is fine and close the document. If I don't believe in myself as a writer, I go away and study, and wait for the inspiration to come back.
I guess I just don't have any writing guilt at the moment, because I have all this study guilt to deal with instead. I have study guilt about the time I spend writing...
__
I agree about the cuppa. And the cat. And the window. And, actually, the getting up early part. I don't get up early, but in my writer-fantasy I do, and I sit there with my hot tea steam rising in early-morning coils and listen to the birds finishing the dawn chorus, and have the quiet of the house to myself. This isn't a house in Melbourne, obviously... It has a window with a valley :p
no subject
on 2006-05-10 11:43 am (UTC)I like the idea of a still morning, with birds calling and a cuppa warming my hands. But I just can't get over the fact that I hate getting out of bed. It's so warm and cosy in there! Ah well. Something to work on, I suppose.