A couple of weeks ago on here, I was talking about giving up trying so hard on my second book, and the realisation that my ‘job’ as a writer is to create the conditions for great ideas to happen.
Hope you feel better soon, but every cloud! I actually have no writing habits but feel like I should? I have The Artist's Way, but haven't read it yet (noticing a theme here haha). I have a daily panic that I have to cram my writing into school hours, along with all the daily life stuff, so time for writing habits feels scarce, BUT I know that's not actually true because I find time to scroll Twitter! I think leaving my phone elsewhere should be habit number one!
Oh I OF COURSE am the same re scrolling (!) which I am really working on, because its what has replaced morning pages/meditation over the last two months and it doesn’t have any of their positive benefits!
Oh no, sending you all the get well soon vibes Jenni. This is such a great reminder, and I hadn’t heard that quote about setting the table for creativity to come in but I *love* it - I’ll take a listen to that podcast I think! Ta very much for the nudge :) x
Morning pages will get you going again, Jennie. Trust the process. They ended up morphing into my first novel, and you’ve inspired me to return to them as I begin my third. Sorry to hear about the shingles -
a sign you needed a rest! Thank you for sharing your insights and I hope you’re back on top very soon 😃
I write when I'm ready. It works for me. There's a joy there, but then I'm beholden to none but myself - no agent nor publisher keeping me to a deadline. It's worked for 14 books, with one off the press per year, so why change a good thing?
But there are small things, as you say:
1. Outside. Dog and I walk twice daily - long ones that debug my mind. No ear pods, just us and nature. It also allows me to observe and absorb.
2. I pursue other craft - I'm an embroiderer.
3. I attend classical ballet class weekly.
4. I am a gardener.
I indulge in Facebook and Instagram (I need to reduce the time) and I use Pinterest to file images that relate to my novels.
But most importantly, I have a family - I'm not isolated. They keep me grounded. No ivory towers.
I joined Substack to introduce a discipline as I felt my purpose needed some assistance after 15 years of writing novels. It's a great discipline and I've met such wonderful folk.
So there we go - a list of small things that put together like a jigsaw, make the bigger picture.
These two posts about book two are so resonant! I'm on attempt two after a completed draft of 90,000 words that I rewrote after ditching 45,000 words and still am not feeling. Attempt two feels muddled, messy and meh. I'm meditating daily again (which like you has been a long struggle), walking more and thinking (but in an urban place) and trying not to be that terrible self blaming perfectionist who I've always been.
It'll happen and I'm glad you're feeling a way there in the dark.
I’ve been planning a write a very similar piece to this after also being poorly recently. So much good advice in here. And now maybe I’ll act a little quicker!
Hope you feel better soon, but every cloud! I actually have no writing habits but feel like I should? I have The Artist's Way, but haven't read it yet (noticing a theme here haha). I have a daily panic that I have to cram my writing into school hours, along with all the daily life stuff, so time for writing habits feels scarce, BUT I know that's not actually true because I find time to scroll Twitter! I think leaving my phone elsewhere should be habit number one!
Oh I OF COURSE am the same re scrolling (!) which I am really working on, because its what has replaced morning pages/meditation over the last two months and it doesn’t have any of their positive benefits!
It's a terrible habit. And it's altering my attention span, for sure (which has never been great!)
Oh no, sending you all the get well soon vibes Jenni. This is such a great reminder, and I hadn’t heard that quote about setting the table for creativity to come in but I *love* it - I’ll take a listen to that podcast I think! Ta very much for the nudge :) x
Thanks Sara, and the podcast is SO good x
JENNIE! Gah I hate typos, I’m so sorry! 🙈
Morning pages will get you going again, Jennie. Trust the process. They ended up morphing into my first novel, and you’ve inspired me to return to them as I begin my third. Sorry to hear about the shingles -
a sign you needed a rest! Thank you for sharing your insights and I hope you’re back on top very soon 😃
I have no habits.
I write when I'm ready. It works for me. There's a joy there, but then I'm beholden to none but myself - no agent nor publisher keeping me to a deadline. It's worked for 14 books, with one off the press per year, so why change a good thing?
But there are small things, as you say:
1. Outside. Dog and I walk twice daily - long ones that debug my mind. No ear pods, just us and nature. It also allows me to observe and absorb.
2. I pursue other craft - I'm an embroiderer.
3. I attend classical ballet class weekly.
4. I am a gardener.
I indulge in Facebook and Instagram (I need to reduce the time) and I use Pinterest to file images that relate to my novels.
But most importantly, I have a family - I'm not isolated. They keep me grounded. No ivory towers.
I joined Substack to introduce a discipline as I felt my purpose needed some assistance after 15 years of writing novels. It's a great discipline and I've met such wonderful folk.
So there we go - a list of small things that put together like a jigsaw, make the bigger picture.
LOVE this!
These two posts about book two are so resonant! I'm on attempt two after a completed draft of 90,000 words that I rewrote after ditching 45,000 words and still am not feeling. Attempt two feels muddled, messy and meh. I'm meditating daily again (which like you has been a long struggle), walking more and thinking (but in an urban place) and trying not to be that terrible self blaming perfectionist who I've always been.
It'll happen and I'm glad you're feeling a way there in the dark.
I’ve just sent you a podcast episode Chris! X
I’ve been planning a write a very similar piece to this after also being poorly recently. So much good advice in here. And now maybe I’ll act a little quicker!
Ps also love morning pages!
Happy return to writing x
Thanks so much Kayte, and still write your piece! I will be really interested x
Thank you! X
Get better very soon Jennie 😘😘
Get well soon Jennie! 😘
It looks like you have some fab daily habits there, wish I could say the same. 😂👏👏