I can't say much for other aspects of this post but for writing...the cure and the practice are the same. And that is execution. To write more, you have to write. Sounds so simple but that's it. Don't outline the great American novel, just start writing. You can outline as you go. Leave room for change. Write and observe at the same time. When the character does something let them do it, don't make them do it. Outlines can come whenever, but if you think you should outline before you write then you'll never write. Jordan Peele put it best "When I'm writing my first draft I constantly remind myself all I'm doing is adding sand to the sandbox so I can later build a castle out of it." That's all it is. Fuck sentence structure and grammar, those things come later. Editing is everything!! Just get something down. Nick Cave says when he has writer's block he just puts two disparate things in the room together "like a clown and a baby" he said. And then he sees what happens. And when that stops working..."I kill the clown." It's a weird analogy but it speaks to me. The biggest enemy of writing is overthinking when the answer is just writing it. Get okay with the idea of throwing weeks of work out. Get okay with not knowing where your novel is heading. That's the joy of it. Just stretch your legs and let your characters go for a walk. The story will naturally get to places where you'll outline some ideas but you don't need that at first. Plus when the draft is done you now have all the pieces of the puzzle and you start putting it together then. I also find the more I talk about a current writing project the less of it I get done because I feel so accomplished from talking about it so I'm tight lipped until the first draft is done. Anyway these are my thoughts, take all with a grain of salt. It's just what helps me. As for music. Girl, just sing. I've heard that voice for years. Just sing for the sake of singing, write for the sake of writing. We live in a grind your passions down to nothing to make money sort of culture but fuck all that. Just sing. And just write. No agenda, no goals. Just do it and see what follows. We gotta Picasso this shit, no premeditating just create. Wow this was really long lol. Sorry!
So much of this resonates with me. As a writer (professionally) and a writer (aspiring), it's a scary feeling when that little indicator starts to hover over E. I wrote a whole post about this (below) and was also inspired by Shauna's routine. The only thing I didn't mention is the stoic mantra that I turn over and over and over in my head during dry spells: the obstacle is the way.
This post, in and of itself, shows you're leaning in and pushing through. Despite the obstacles. Despite the feeling of running on fumes. Despite having to pivot and learn new ways to do the old things. Keep going. There's gold in them hills.
Oh wow, THIS. All of this. Thank you for saying it all out loud. Here's my first thought, which I'll offer since you've asked. ;) It's maddeningly simple and the hardest of all things: you must not resist what is happening right now. This is the hand you have been delt. Maybe not the BEST hand, but it's yours and yours alone. Now we get curious: what can we do with it? Surrender first, then breathe, then get curious. For me, this is the first and only way I can start to get out of my "this shouldn't be happening i hate this i dont want this i didnt sign up for this everyhing is too hard" cycle and into"what story am I spinning around this? Can I tell a different one?" Also, this sucks. I see you, and it's fucking hard right now and you can absolutely picasso the shit out of it.
I hear you. Been there. You know what? I'm just doing the next thing. Some days?
I write by recording thoughts in an audio file on my phone -- and almost never go back to listen. It's "writing" just for the sake of it. Other days I just pour a coffee and enjoy it. I'm done worrying about what "real writers" are or aren't doing. I know Im a real writer...whether currently working on the next novel or just writing a social media post for someone else. And nobody needs to know. (Helpful to remember that I'm not important enough to measure my output...but I am important enough to mine for input. I'm a human. Input = necessity. Output = seasonal and liminal.) I totally get where you are. May you find hope in knowing you aren't alone.
I can't say much for other aspects of this post but for writing...the cure and the practice are the same. And that is execution. To write more, you have to write. Sounds so simple but that's it. Don't outline the great American novel, just start writing. You can outline as you go. Leave room for change. Write and observe at the same time. When the character does something let them do it, don't make them do it. Outlines can come whenever, but if you think you should outline before you write then you'll never write. Jordan Peele put it best "When I'm writing my first draft I constantly remind myself all I'm doing is adding sand to the sandbox so I can later build a castle out of it." That's all it is. Fuck sentence structure and grammar, those things come later. Editing is everything!! Just get something down. Nick Cave says when he has writer's block he just puts two disparate things in the room together "like a clown and a baby" he said. And then he sees what happens. And when that stops working..."I kill the clown." It's a weird analogy but it speaks to me. The biggest enemy of writing is overthinking when the answer is just writing it. Get okay with the idea of throwing weeks of work out. Get okay with not knowing where your novel is heading. That's the joy of it. Just stretch your legs and let your characters go for a walk. The story will naturally get to places where you'll outline some ideas but you don't need that at first. Plus when the draft is done you now have all the pieces of the puzzle and you start putting it together then. I also find the more I talk about a current writing project the less of it I get done because I feel so accomplished from talking about it so I'm tight lipped until the first draft is done. Anyway these are my thoughts, take all with a grain of salt. It's just what helps me. As for music. Girl, just sing. I've heard that voice for years. Just sing for the sake of singing, write for the sake of writing. We live in a grind your passions down to nothing to make money sort of culture but fuck all that. Just sing. And just write. No agenda, no goals. Just do it and see what follows. We gotta Picasso this shit, no premeditating just create. Wow this was really long lol. Sorry!
Picasso. This. Shit. is now on a post-it on my desk. This is the best advice.
Get out of my brain, Jenny.
So much of this resonates with me. As a writer (professionally) and a writer (aspiring), it's a scary feeling when that little indicator starts to hover over E. I wrote a whole post about this (below) and was also inspired by Shauna's routine. The only thing I didn't mention is the stoic mantra that I turn over and over and over in my head during dry spells: the obstacle is the way.
This post, in and of itself, shows you're leaning in and pushing through. Despite the obstacles. Despite the feeling of running on fumes. Despite having to pivot and learn new ways to do the old things. Keep going. There's gold in them hills.
https://laurencibene.substack.com/p/grappling-the-thunderhead
I’m going to take that encouragement and run with it. :). I so much enjoy reading your writing.
Oh wow, THIS. All of this. Thank you for saying it all out loud. Here's my first thought, which I'll offer since you've asked. ;) It's maddeningly simple and the hardest of all things: you must not resist what is happening right now. This is the hand you have been delt. Maybe not the BEST hand, but it's yours and yours alone. Now we get curious: what can we do with it? Surrender first, then breathe, then get curious. For me, this is the first and only way I can start to get out of my "this shouldn't be happening i hate this i dont want this i didnt sign up for this everyhing is too hard" cycle and into"what story am I spinning around this? Can I tell a different one?" Also, this sucks. I see you, and it's fucking hard right now and you can absolutely picasso the shit out of it.
I hear you. Been there. You know what? I'm just doing the next thing. Some days?
I write by recording thoughts in an audio file on my phone -- and almost never go back to listen. It's "writing" just for the sake of it. Other days I just pour a coffee and enjoy it. I'm done worrying about what "real writers" are or aren't doing. I know Im a real writer...whether currently working on the next novel or just writing a social media post for someone else. And nobody needs to know. (Helpful to remember that I'm not important enough to measure my output...but I am important enough to mine for input. I'm a human. Input = necessity. Output = seasonal and liminal.) I totally get where you are. May you find hope in knowing you aren't alone.