(no subject)
Hi.
Roughly a month left in my current job. Things are up in the air about what will happen at the end of December. But in any case, I need to be looking for another job. There are aspects of working temp jobs that I really like - less office politics, the ability to walk away and forget about it, low stress - but there are also a few that I really dislike - lower pay, and having to find another job every 6 months or so.
Oh well. I keep telling myself that it's just a paycheck while I work on other things that are more important. The problem is that I'm a lazy ass and don't write. And I really have no excuse. I get home from work around 4:30 every day, so I have 5 solid hours open with nothing to do when I should be writing. If I were really dedicated to making this work, I'd be doing it. No excuses. So what's my problem?
Well, that inner editor is a bitch, for one thing. It keeps trying to convince me that first drafts have to be GOOD. No, no, I say. A first draft is a lump of words to be molded into shape later. Just get a rough story down to start. If only I could heed my own advice. Or even better, Hemingway's advice:
“The first draft of anything is shit”
So at this point, I haven't finished any draft. I keep starting new ones of new stories. I know if I'd get through a first draft in a few months before the shine wears off I'd probably stick with it. But after a year or two, it's dull and lifeless. I'm amazed by authors like Patrick Rothfuss who spent 10 years on his first draft. That's more dedication than I'll ever have. I just want to tell little stories, not change the world.
Hm, again more advice I should tell myself often.
So back to work, this shift has been killing me. I have to be up at 5:30am to be at work at 6:50. I've been late most days over the past couple weeks. It's hard to be motivated.
I should be in bed now. It's 10:12, and I need to get up in 7 hours and 18 minutes. I NEVER get a full 8 hours of sleep on weekdays any more.
But I think I'll write a couple pages first. The only question is, which draft do I work on?
Roughly a month left in my current job. Things are up in the air about what will happen at the end of December. But in any case, I need to be looking for another job. There are aspects of working temp jobs that I really like - less office politics, the ability to walk away and forget about it, low stress - but there are also a few that I really dislike - lower pay, and having to find another job every 6 months or so.
Oh well. I keep telling myself that it's just a paycheck while I work on other things that are more important. The problem is that I'm a lazy ass and don't write. And I really have no excuse. I get home from work around 4:30 every day, so I have 5 solid hours open with nothing to do when I should be writing. If I were really dedicated to making this work, I'd be doing it. No excuses. So what's my problem?
Well, that inner editor is a bitch, for one thing. It keeps trying to convince me that first drafts have to be GOOD. No, no, I say. A first draft is a lump of words to be molded into shape later. Just get a rough story down to start. If only I could heed my own advice. Or even better, Hemingway's advice:
“The first draft of anything is shit”
So at this point, I haven't finished any draft. I keep starting new ones of new stories. I know if I'd get through a first draft in a few months before the shine wears off I'd probably stick with it. But after a year or two, it's dull and lifeless. I'm amazed by authors like Patrick Rothfuss who spent 10 years on his first draft. That's more dedication than I'll ever have. I just want to tell little stories, not change the world.
Hm, again more advice I should tell myself often.
So back to work, this shift has been killing me. I have to be up at 5:30am to be at work at 6:50. I've been late most days over the past couple weeks. It's hard to be motivated.
I should be in bed now. It's 10:12, and I need to get up in 7 hours and 18 minutes. I NEVER get a full 8 hours of sleep on weekdays any more.
But I think I'll write a couple pages first. The only question is, which draft do I work on?