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?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
on 2006-05-10 11:13 am (UTC)I find that I stop writing when I notice I've spent the past few days writing garbage. The best way for me to get myself writing again is to have some sort of a deadline. I write better under some pressure- and while I am certainly not guaranteed to turn out something incredible just because I have to finish it very soon, I am at least writing again, and who knows how many little things I'll be able to recycle together into something big?
I really need to learn how to type, though, because I'm too slow to keep up with my train of thought.
no subject
on 2006-05-10 11:40 am (UTC)I'm glad I learnt to touch-type, because otherwise I'd be completely lost. I have the worst handwriting in the world and it still can't keep up with my thoughts. Thank goodness for keyboards. :)
no subject
on 2006-05-10 12:05 pm (UTC)I have a great deal of trouble with essay questions on exams (you know- the 2 pages per question sort) because my hand cramps up within minutes and I can't read my own handwriting anyhow. :-)
no subject
on 2006-05-10 12:31 pm (UTC)