Life interference: I have not had very many writing sessions lately. All the usual kids hacking coughs/birthday parties/averted health scares/toilet training/sleep disturbance/minor emergencies/Steve working/toddlers scaling furniture. I have been feeling a little psychotic. OK, VERY psychotic. Be careful with that axe, Eugene.
What I'm working on now: The second act, filling in gaping holes and realigning what's already written to accomodate major plot changes.
What I'm working on now: The second act, filling in gaping holes and realigning what's already written to accomodate major plot changes.
Subjective nonwordcount progress guess: I am crawling. Every time I think I’m building momentum, I find I’ve actually stopped. I guess I have to accept that any progress, however small, is good progress, and stop being upset that I can’t do the old ‘fell swoop’ move that I so deeply crave. I am declaring a ban on fell swoop thinking. I am going to think in terms of nibbles. Nay, crumbs. MOLECULES.
You know I do my writing when Steve has the kids sleeping in the car and he’s driving around VERY SLOWLY to save fuel. Well, the other day he told me he passed an old blind man walking down the middle of a country lane alone. The man would listen for approaching vehicles, scurry to the side of the road, wait for them to pass, and then move out into the middle again with his stick and carry on.
That’s how I feel.
What I am doing to keep from cracking up: Took a walk up past the old lead mine works today. Longshadowed winter sun, sweeping views over into Wales, and near silence on the hill. Must do this kind of thing more often.
Also, bizarrely: I have been cooking. Not sure what’s going on there. Hmm.
Other: I have found my old ‘A Love Supreme’ CD stashed among some tax records. Much happiness. Between Shostakovich (a la Keith Jarrett) and Coltrane I am going to get through this draft.
Please forgive me if you’ve commented recently and I haven’t responded. I’m trying to keep netty things to a minimum and it’s about all I can do to get these little posts up to catalogue what I’m doing (or not doing, more often). I’ll be more sociable after this draft is done.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT I’VE HAD VIA THIS BLOG. THANKS!
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT I’VE HAD VIA THIS BLOG. THANKS!
Take care.
And many congratulations on the NaNoWriMo accomplishments. Don't know how you did it, but FANTASTIC.
I didn't make it all the way over to deadjournal (what a great name) but I looked at some of your old LJ posts and they are a great read. If you write fiction (now or ever) I suspect the feeling will be mutual...
Miss you, hope t-day was fun. got a card from aunt cat who had a grerat time w/y'all (sorry, typing 1-handed again)
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Anyway, many many days, the only way I survive is to get through the very next minute. And then the next one. And then the one after that. So...if you have to write a molecule at a time, well, don't feel bad. You're not the only one traveling that route. "Hello! Look at me, over here! Can't you see me waving at you?!"
Hang in there!
You guys hang in there too. Good wishes to you both.
Careful with that axe Eugene
Re: Careful with that axe Eugene
My life has actually gotten a lot easier in the last year--coming out of intense 'baby' phase as youngest is 18 months. We have heat and hot water, we have furniture, I'm getting to grips with the housekeeping. My partner's got a small income and most importantly, we're not being jerked around by a madwoman anymore. I do count my blessings.
It's just that I want so much more for us and writing seems to me to be the way to get it, and yet it's not a straightforward road. Except, of course for the old 'just write' which is always true.
That sounds like a real tough one for your mom. Painters have it far worse than writers.
One of the things that can be very difficult to articulate is how difficult it is to just stick your kids in childcare and get a job. If push really comes to shove, that's what I'll do, but so far we've managed to scrape along otherwise. Before I had kids I don't think I would have understood about that. I mean, one DOES want to get away from them. But it is not so easy to hand them over to strangers, or at least it has not been so for me with my kids.
One of them is hanging on my arm as I type this...
Thank you, John, for dropping by with the encouragement. I hope everyone in your house is healthy this week.
LOL your Floyd ref. Cheers.