April 10, 2008

A Writer’s Life

Following up Robyn’s post of yesterday, I started to think of all the things that interfere with getting a good day’s work/writing done. When you have a job like ours, it’s not task-oriented the way many other jobs are. For example, when I was a nurse, there were certain things that had to be completed daily, and they had to be done by a certain time. IVs have to be started now, not later. Assessments and evaluations must be made, treatments must be given. Vital signs taken. Etcetera. But a writer has to create something out of nothing but a mass of ideas floating around in her head, and any number of things can interfere with that process.
1. The internet
As much as I love it, it’s the bane of my existence. I can waste hours searching for just the right word, or exactly the kind of ship used in 1820, or what kind of underwear a gentleman would have worn in 1885 … You get my drift. What I really should do is vow never to look up these details until my day’s work is done. Then go to the internet and other resources to find the info I need. I can search for the XXXX I’ve stuck in the manuscript to mark the place, and fill it in when I’ve learned what I needed.
2. Email
I am a people-person. And writing is such a solitary job. I would love it if all the Jaunties could meet up every day in a “writing office” and work away separately, stopping to chat periodically. That’s kind of what email does, but studies show that it takes several minutes after each email session to get back on task, so it’s really counter-productive to check email more than a couple of times a day. [Sigh]
3. House Distractions
This encompasses everything in my house that I can use to distract myself from actually sitting my butt down and dealing with that ridiculously difficult scene that I have to write today, or I can’t go on. This is the kitchen (Is it lunch time yet? Should I start something elaborate for dinner?) the laundry room, the vacuum, the telephone. There is always something to organize, prepare, clean, or eat. This is why I go to Starbuck’s almost every day to write. There is nothing to do there but write and drink coffee (since I made a vow never to drink anything with calories or to eat there).
4. The other part of the job
Doing promotional activities. Everyone does different things - from interviews to mailings to contests on their websites. All this stuff takes time away from writing, but it must be done.
5. Home/Family issues
Most of us try to have a life, too. Writing can be an all-consuming effort, and for many of us, our family lives go down the tubes when we’re working our way up to a tight deadline. Or when the stresses of production get to us (like you’ve got a deadline, but you also received the copy edits for your next book and they must be completed in two weeks). It’s important to try to anticipate these things and stay a little bit ahead of the game.

So even if you’ve got a great schedule - on paper - there is always something that can jump into a writer’s world and spike her creative efforts. It’s one of a writer’s most difficult tasks to stay focused and on task.

  2 Responses to “A Writer’s Life”

1. On April 10th, 2008 at 8:25 am
   Shana Galen Says:
   

   Right on target, Margo! I don’t allow myself to check email before my pages are in any more. For me, email=work, so then I do that work instead of the work of writing the book. I have very limited time in which to write, so I have to guard it.

2. On April 10th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
   Helen Says:
   

   I don’t write but I am very glad that you guys do so as I have some wonderful books to read :bananadance:

   Have Fun
   Helen

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