At any given point in time, I’ve got at least a dozen story ideas running through my head. I so desperately wish I could get everything down on paper, but it is only a dream.
Once I get rolling on a project, I go for it with everything I’ve got. The problem is that I usually “roll” with several projects all at one time. I’ve always taken heed to the saying that you should do one thing and do it well. I just believe I can just as easily do twelve things and do them all well.
So I end up with a balancing act: family, work, writing, researching, editing, blogging…sometimes eating and sleeping. All this as gone relatively well so far, for the first 23 years of my life. Now, I’m going to work toward establishing a better routine to manage all my irons in the fire.
“Routine is the housekeeper of inspiration.”
– Carlos Ruiz Zafron writes in the “Angel’s Game” – a fascinating read, by the way. But his insights into writing as a narrator and author helped put some of my problems into perspective. I need to better maintain a routine to continue to work on all my writings and other obligations.
I write this as both a goal and realization and pledge to create a concrete plan – blogging twice a week, writing for an hour every day, spending less times with distractions such as Facebook, etc.
I think this will help bring me back to what I love most: the writing. This way, I can juggle all dozen projects and do them well.
Leave a comment and tell me how you approach your writing – do you focus just on one? Do you journal other ideas? Do you write consistently? I’d love to hear from you!
I was just thinking about this today while driving to work. If I say I love writing so much and want to write – if I am, indeed, a writer – then I need to have some measure of discipline in my life. I’m consuming books right now, which is good for both inspiration and self-education. (And enjoyment.) But I need to be writing more. Only problem is that I’m not sure the best way to go about it. Whenever I put a strict schedule (i.e. writing time is from 9-10pm) upon myself, I tend to do even LESS writing.
I read an interesting article in Writer’s Digest about perspiration vs. inspiration. Is excellent writing birthed in moments of brilliance or through hours of sweat and revision? Obviously it takes both, but I prefer to write when I’m feeling inspired. The I-gotta-write feeling. But this doesn’t always happen. I have a goal to post a new blog every Monday (and except for this week due to illness, I’ve succeeded). Now I need an idea for my novel. I want to finish it before I leave for grad school. If you stumble upon any discipline secrets, let me know!
I hear you, Heather! I’m flying through books too, but I need to keep writing. I did some writing today – on a totally new novel…Which completely doesn’t help get my other projects done.
I’ll keep my ears open for discipline secrets!
As for your novel idea – I’m DYING to read more of Undercity – so get to work on that, woman! 😉
I try to focus on one story at a time, jotting notes on others when I think of things so I don’t forget them. Unfortunately, with grad school this year, my writing hasn’t been very consistent. I’ll get there eventually though!
You have an interesting blog. I’ll have to figure out how to add you to Google Reader.