Fear of Falling

[jp_davis]

I’m going to take some time today to talk about writer’s writing problems, because I have them and I strongly suspect I’m not the only one. The community at large acknowledges writer’s block, etc., but the answer is universally, “well, you just sit down and write and all will be fine.” But I’m not convinced that’s all there is to it. Sometimes, I

Comments

[jp_davis]

Glad you liked it! You are more than welcome to link to this or any other post I do on here. I'm really glad you asked, because one of the reasons I decided to throw that out there was that I strongly suspected I wasn't the only one going through these things.

Your addition is right on target, too. For all the time I've spent trying to figure out what I "wanted" to do, I've always known unequivocally that writing was it, but I never really buckled down and made myself do it. Sure, my notebooks in school, all schools, were filled with half-(or quarter) finished stories, and every now and then, I would write a really short piece or whatever, but there was this part of me that was just floating along on idle, waiting for it to happen, because I knew that it would. And then one day, somewhere around law school, I realized that it wasn't going to if I didn't get down and make it happen! And even then I didn't do much, just writing one really marketable story and sending it to, I don't know, two magazines before basically giving up. Only when carrie_ryan (my inspiration)and I finally sat down and talked about our goals and came up with the Ten Year Plan did I really start to seriously strive for publication. And now I feel like I have to make up for lost time!

But honestly, the Ten Year Plan helps. I highly recommend something like it. Just remember, a lot of very successful writers didn't really get anywhere until they were older than either of us, so you've got time to play with. When I get overwhelmed by the "but I'm losing time" aspect, I can always think about the Plan and say to myself, "look, we said ten years was a reasonable timeframe, we're on track, so calm down." Of course, now I'm stumbling all over myself to accelerate it. Deep breath, focus, focus...

[ex_kaz_maho]

I can relate to SO much of this. Writing's all I've ever wanted to do, which has worked against me in terms of career - i.e. I don't have one! At least you have Law as something to give your life focus and pay the bills... I've just drifted from job-to-job while (as you put it) "waiting for [writing] to happen." I did the same as you, too - wrote maybe three or four decent stories and sent them to a handful of places, before giving up. Don't even get me started on novels... And now, after all that time of doing nothing, I've written a YA novel in the space of two months, and am already thinking about my next project (for adults this time).

Anyway, I could go on. But I'm seriously thinking of following in yours and Carrie's footsteps and getting my own Plan... :)

[jp_davis]

That's really awesome that you've already written a YA novel-- that's got to be an amazing step towards making those dreams happen. Having recently decided to switch over to novel-writing, myself, staring down all that blank space is giving me vertigo. But I proceed, dauntless. I think the trick here lies somewhere between keeping that crazy level of enthusiasm/terror that keeps you pressing forward and maintaining enough of a perspective to not let that same desire run you over and crush you.

[ex_kaz_maho]

That is perhaps the toughest balance of all to strike. But it's what we have to strive for...

all that blank space is giving me vertigo

*nods* Yeah, me too. Doesn't matter that I've finished one novel. Now I have to do it again and the space is just as blank. Think of it as one chapter at a time - which is like a short story, right? ;)

[jp_davis]

Hm, now there's a thought. And a short story I don't have to finish (at least until the last chapter) to boot... which is apparently my favorite kind ;)