The thing about writing, or the creative process really, is you can't always create what you want in one sitting, and chances are you don't want to. In the new year I've decided that I want to write 1000 new words on my novel every Sunday. I'll have to eventually increase that, though, if I am to get my first draft done by the end of October. I started it quite a while ago. It had sat partially completed for over a year, before I was reinspired to work on it again. The same thing goes with a blanket I'm knitting for my niece's new baby. I got quite a ways into it, and set it down, did other things, and now that the baby is here.
In both cases I was feeling a little stuck, and I let myself get distracted. With the blanket, I was knitting when I was too sleepy, dropped the knitting needles, and dropped several stitches. The yarn got really tangled too. I didn't exactly "forget" about it, but it became something I could do later. And so later became now.
Now that it's "fixed", you can tell that something went wrong, if you look close enough-- "character spots" it has, but it's still pretty and will serve it's purpose. I'm knitting on the bus, and when I watch TV, and sometimes other times as well. I'm about half done, and I hope I can finish it within a month.
Sometimes dropping works in progress and walking away is just another way of avoiding conflict, which I must admit I've done plenty of in my life. But other times it's just what you need. Sometimes the thing it takes to see the forest through the trees is a walk on the beach. Other times you just have to push through.
Gretchen Lee Bourquin is the author of No Sensible People available on Amazon.com and Lulu.com
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 28
As to Gretchen's article, I also think that some times the creative process just spills out like bubbles from seltzer water. But then there is work that evolves over time and letting the work simmer makes it perfect.
Anna del C.
Author of "The Silent Warrior Trilogy"
http://www.annadelc.com
Stephen King
and neither do good writers.
I just wanted to stop by since I am finally going through what is now listed as under 5,100 pieces of gather new mail that is sitting in my inbox on here.
With that mentioned I just came across either a mailing from you yourself, or someone else brought this piece to my attention. You or they felt that your creation should be shared with the gather community, which I am very glad that it was passed on to me to view. So I wanted to say Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to publish it here on gather for us to all view. :o)
As well before I leave you I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year... in 2009 :o)
Gather last year. The act of posting was supposed to be the incentive for me to finish it last year, but -- as usual -- I only made it so far and then life got in the way again.
Okay, it was probably spring of 08 that I last wrote -- (not counting Island Tales here) -- but I'd like to blame Gather for something.
Save the drafts as they are, then begin another one, from the point where it stopped flowing well.
Read over all the drafts, and the best of each should rise to the top to be blended together in a richer, more complete story.
Sometimes reading helps, or just relaxing in front of the t.v.