(The song above caught me on Pandora, TV, and the radio every day this week. So I’m posting it here to make it go away. Added some Fullmetal Alchemist in too because.)
This was the week I was going to dive into Book 10. I was going to get back into my writing and get some stuff done before the upcoming Winter Break, which is totally different than Christmas Break and 1.5 months before Spring Break. Yup. That was the plan . . . I failed on 5 out of 6 goals. All I did was post the excerpts on the website and I’m not even sure I did it right. Only reason I ‘failed’ the consoling of the son is because he ‘called’ his new friends every day on an old cellphone to tell them about his day. So in his mind, they weren’t very far away.
I can’t think of a clear way to explain myself right now without garnering some level of pity or being so vague that people ask for a ‘dislike’ button. To put it simply, I just can’t get myself to touch Legends of Windemere. Probably just need some time away from it all, but I’m having mental blockage and, to be honest, fear. Maybe I’m thrown off because this sensation is new to me. I’ve never been blocked by my own mind for more than a day and that was usually because it was too busy fiddling with an idea. I’ve never really had a problem accessing the imagination or been too afraid to write a story. This coming week might be good for me to shrug off whatever this is.
Did I accomplish nothing this week? I begrudgingly admit that I got some stuff done.
- I wrote preliminary blurbs for the published books that will be better than the last. The one for Beginning of a Hero should be up, but I need to run the others through a few people first before putting them up.
- I went through the future idea list and tried to carve things up. The thing is still at 35 series and one-shots though. It seems trashing Project Phoenix and keeping the parts I liked simply undid what few things I tossed. On the plus side, that 16-19 book monster isn’t hanging over my head. Just a few trilogies and one-shots from the survivors.
- I figured out why one book is named what it’s named. I’ll be spending tonight trying to urge my hands to write it down. The few times I’ve tried have been met with me just wandering off or freezing.
- I came up with a new character/series that I might write over the summer. It’s a short story type of thing that is reminiscent of the old Conan the Barbarian stories. I go more into detail during my Wednesday rant. This will be a moody blog week even if my demeanor improves.
So that was my week and it could just be loneliness. I miss the guests who were here last week and feel like we didn’t have nearly enough time. Might be that I feel a little lost, which makes the most amount of sense to me.
Now what are the goals for this week?
- Recover my mind and try to get myself back into writing shape.
- Spend time with son.
That’s it. Nothing complicated because I don’t think I can handle it. If I can’t get back in the game by the following Monday then I’ve got no idea what to do. Probably just a wait and see what happens, but I’m hoping it doesn’t go that route. Fingers crossed and hope everyone has a fun weekend.
Addition: Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone.
Legends of Windemere 
Please accept my sympathy, I know, well, how annoying the Mojo can be when it buggers off on holiday somewhere. Big thing. Remember you have written a ton of books. Trust your creative mojo because even if it’s in absentia or seems to be having a sleep, you know that you’ve, is it 7 books out there, so you will write more.
OK, so, when it comes to dealing with it, well, from where I am this sounds like one of two things. Either it’s just a plain old blockage, in which case, it’s just that your subconscious is unhappy with some aspect of your planned plot but it hasn’t worked out how to tell your conscious mind yet. I reach this stage at about 30% of any book I write. That’s why they take 18 months… because I have to have a doing other stuff gap at 30% (and because I don’t get to write in the school holidays, of course). The shortest one has been three weeks, the longest six months. But each time it happens, the number of books I’ve already written is larger, my fear of finding a way through less pronounced, and the gap shorter.
Second, it might be burn out. If it’s burn out you need some time to let your head reset. I take it to the brink of burn out regularly by trying to do too much. For me, if I have an emotional time, good or bad, it can impact on my writing. It seems that my emotions play an important role in the production of McGuire McStuff! It’s all very odd. I also get burned out if there’s too much on with McMini – lots of things to do at school or things to remember. I have a dash of it now. I’ve taken him to school without his water once and without his bag twice in the last two weeks. That’s my subconscious saying M T you must step back! 😉 Time alone is good, and doing something you haven’t done before, or haven’t done recently, can also reconnect everything. Believe it or not, I seem to have fixed a recent bout by getting on a train, on my own, and going to an appointment in London. I took a book to read, some TV programmes to watch on my iPad and a whole load of music. I used to do that every day: travel alone. Now it’s just the most insane luxury to think only for me, to not be doing the protective mother thing for another person. The last occasion was only the third time in six years. And it was effing awesome.
Don’t sweat it. It will be OK. 😉
Take care you.
Cheers
MTM
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Time alone is probably not going to happen. The kid and I will be spending the week together, so no peace for me. As for taking a break, I’ve actually been on one for most of the month. The ‘break’ seems to be constantly extending.
There is more to this than I’ve mentioned in the blog because it’s fairly personal. That’s why I’m having trouble explaining it or even deciding if I really should. I guess one could say I’ve been knocked off the rails and have to reevaluate a lot of things. I’m hoping to get back on track in time to dive into the next book and write the first draft by early April. Right now that seems like wishful thinking, but I can’t sit on my ass for too long. To be honest, it doesn’t do me any good because I’m never alone and don’t have the luxury of being alone for more than a few hours. Even then, the phone keeps going off for other people.
Thanks though. Maybe I will get some ‘me’ time this week.
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If you’ve taken an emotional knock you will have trouble writing. A friend of mine told me she didn’t write a thing for a whole year after her mother died. They were close. It is very natural. A good school friend of mine died recently and my writing definitely took a knock. A bad time definitely turned my last two books dark, I had to do a lot of cutting and dialling back of the nasty bits. It is natural for hard times to affect your writing. Write stuff, anything I’d it helps but relax if it’s not up to snuff. The mojo is remarkably resilient. It will return.
Cheers
MTM
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Thanks. Really hope it doesn’t take all year to get back into things. 2015 is not a peaceful one for me, especially when the summer hits. So an emotional blow isn’t going to be shrugged off very easily. Guess we’ll have to see what happens.
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PS I’m still in a similar boat and that sympathy thing. I so hear you. That’s why there’s nothing on my blog. 😉
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I don’t play a doctor on TV but when I feel this way a distraction is in order. A movie, nice dinner, play with son, drink something powerful. What ever. It will go away with some rest of the brain.
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Hopefully that’s what happens this week. Though I’m leaning more toward the drink something powerful part. The son is a handful at times and dinner tends to involve other people.
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Patience! you can do it!! Just don’t stop swimming and then you will never fail
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Thanks. 🙂
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Sometimes, weeks pass and it seems like I’m getting nowhere. But then there are periods where it’s just the opposite. When going through the writing lows, you just need to persist; even the tiniest progress can keep you moving forward and help a lot later. Good luck. & HVD. 🙂
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Thanks. Here’s hoping the low doesn’t last very long.
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This feels horrible doesn’t it? I go on a house cleaning binge when writing ‘escapes’ me. Mindless action that actually accomplishes something. Thinking about you…
Ellespeth
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Thanks. I might get that this week depending on the weather. It’s a week long school break, so I can’t predict what will happen.
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“Strong wind does not last all morning
Sudden rain does not last all day
Even Heaven and Earth cannot make it last
How can humans?”
(Tao Te Ching, verse 23)
This, too, shall pass. You are an amazing author, who seems to suffer a bit of a burnout. Let the break extend as long as it needs to. Sometimes our minds and bodies know best.
In the meantime, I’m heading over to Amazon to finally post that review of book 1. 🙂
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Funny you mention wind when it’s really loud here. What does Tao Te Ching have to say about snow? 😉
Thanks for the review. Definitely made me smile. As for the mojo, it sparked a bit yesterday while I was watching ‘Kingsman’ in the theater. Awesomely fun movie, but I couldn’t capitalize on the gain. Maybe I just need to toss in a bunch of high-action or fantasy movies for a day to recharge.
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My advice? Don’t rush it. It will come when it comes.
(I know you haven’t asked for my advice, but what kind of a friend would I be if I didn’t shove it down your throat?)
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Thanks. I’ll be easing into it at some point. Just need to get my head together.
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I love this song! I’m a huge Fall Out Boy fan!
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Definitely a catchy song.
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I think we all have times like these…the key is to brush yourself off, and start again. I caught myself nearly giving up recently, but realized I am in charge of how much I can accomplish! Don’t beat yourself up, simply start again…even if it is baby steps! ❤
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Thanks. Restarting sounds scary since I’ve done so much already. Really hoping I don’t have to go back to square one.
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Maybe a refire would be a less daunting task…
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Seems more doable at least.
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Charles, you are so hard on yourself. I find that you’ve accomplished much this past week. Sometimes you just need to recharge and it never does any good to force things. They just come out all wrong. 🙂
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Good point on the forcing. Another reason I’m not touching the books right now.
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Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.
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Thanks. Though the Saturday goal posts tend to be of more personal nature. Not really sure people get anything out of them being reblogged. 🙂
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Is there any way you could work on something short and totally different? A palate cleanser, so to speak.
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Don’t really have anything like that. All my stuff tends to fall into the same category.
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Emotional stuff is always a writing blocker. You get so much done anyway though and the writing mojo generally comes back when it’s ready. Here’s to some good emos for you this week.
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Thanks. This is a break week, so hopefully it does the trick.
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Charles, that is so understandable. You’ve been going full steam for so long. I’m glad you have a break. Everyone needs a break to refresh. I hope you can get some R and R without feeling guilty about it!
People say to push through times like this. That isn’t always helpful. I know when my writing feels forced and uninspired. I’m sure you know that about your writing.
Take care of yourself.
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So far the break has included freezing temperatures, insane drivers, and a clogged bathtub. I’m guessing the universe isn’t willing to let me rest.
I really don’t want to force things, which might be the main reason I’m avoiding the books for now. The outlines are starting to get attention, so that might be a good sign.
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