A Writer Writes. ...right?
I'm lucky enough to be working full time at a theatre company, a company for which I wrote one of my best plays (possibly my best to date), a play which was very nicely appreciated by some of the patrons of this theatre. Several times during our post-performance social hours this year (and at other times in this very small community) this play has come up, along the inevitable question "Are you writing anything these days?"
I've had to give a flat-out "No" for two years now. No, I have not written a single thing. My two excuses have been A) I've written enough of a volume of work that my time as a writer is better spent promoting the existing work, as it's all sitting in my computer doing nothing - I need to get it out to theatres, publishers, agents, etc., and B) my day job, which also happens to be theatre (and occasional waiting of tables) keeps me so busy, I just don't have time to write. See, here's proof: When's the last time I wrote a proper blog entry?
Well, my discomfort with saying that I'm writing nothing, absolutely nothing, for two years has really begun to grate on me, and I'm beginning to suspect my two above excuses are just so much bullshit. I don't really send my stuff out much (which is also bad), but on the rare occasion I do, it takes no time at all. Most organizations accept electronic submissions, and if I already wrote it, hey, it's just a few clicks to get it out there. And yeah, I'm busy, but I seem to have enough time to spend a good hour (give or take) on Facebook every day and see a satisfactory helping of TV and movies. If I continue this way, I might as well admit that my writing was just a phase and has been relegated to Hobby Status.
I'm really not ready to do that. As it happens, National Playwriting Month is November, so I've signed up. I'm not sure how it will go, as I truly do have a busy time ahead of me. I'm acting and set designing for our next show, plus I have marketing duties like scripting the associated trailer and DVD. This is a pretty solid workload going right into Thanksgiving (at which time my brother will hopefully be visiting - so little spare time there as well), so I'm not sure how I'll get it all done.
Two things I have going for me: I love structure. The fact that I have deadlines and I'm accountable to a small network of writers will motivate me. Second, I'm prepared to relearn my writing habits - this month will be the experiment. I used to have the luxury of writing in great big chunks o' time - previous no-brain jobs and three years of freelancing gave me that freedom (and huge debt - another story for another time) but now I have to fully embrace that mantra "A writer writes, every day" - I used to think that was puritanical work-ethic hogwash. Now I understand it's about developing work muscles that can be helpful at times like this. I have to learn how to write in teeny chunks o' time, as little as a half-hour.
So wish me luck. I start in two days.
In other news, I was a little stalled with the running because funky things kept happening to my calves, but new shoes took care of the problem. Unfortunately, while I was wrestling with the issue and exercising less (and eating a lot to help myself think through it), I gained back about a fourth of the weight I lost over the last nine months. It was discouraging, plus I was already frustrated with a plateau. In addition to getting back into my running habit, I've shaken up my usual workout routine and signed up for that yoga the kids are doing these days. Hopefully that will help. It's interesting, and I'm sore in new places, so that must be good.
Namaste. That's yoga talk for Good day, eh.
I've had to give a flat-out "No" for two years now. No, I have not written a single thing. My two excuses have been A) I've written enough of a volume of work that my time as a writer is better spent promoting the existing work, as it's all sitting in my computer doing nothing - I need to get it out to theatres, publishers, agents, etc., and B) my day job, which also happens to be theatre (and occasional waiting of tables) keeps me so busy, I just don't have time to write. See, here's proof: When's the last time I wrote a proper blog entry?
Well, my discomfort with saying that I'm writing nothing, absolutely nothing, for two years has really begun to grate on me, and I'm beginning to suspect my two above excuses are just so much bullshit. I don't really send my stuff out much (which is also bad), but on the rare occasion I do, it takes no time at all. Most organizations accept electronic submissions, and if I already wrote it, hey, it's just a few clicks to get it out there. And yeah, I'm busy, but I seem to have enough time to spend a good hour (give or take) on Facebook every day and see a satisfactory helping of TV and movies. If I continue this way, I might as well admit that my writing was just a phase and has been relegated to Hobby Status.
I'm really not ready to do that. As it happens, National Playwriting Month is November, so I've signed up. I'm not sure how it will go, as I truly do have a busy time ahead of me. I'm acting and set designing for our next show, plus I have marketing duties like scripting the associated trailer and DVD. This is a pretty solid workload going right into Thanksgiving (at which time my brother will hopefully be visiting - so little spare time there as well), so I'm not sure how I'll get it all done.
Two things I have going for me: I love structure. The fact that I have deadlines and I'm accountable to a small network of writers will motivate me. Second, I'm prepared to relearn my writing habits - this month will be the experiment. I used to have the luxury of writing in great big chunks o' time - previous no-brain jobs and three years of freelancing gave me that freedom (and huge debt - another story for another time) but now I have to fully embrace that mantra "A writer writes, every day" - I used to think that was puritanical work-ethic hogwash. Now I understand it's about developing work muscles that can be helpful at times like this. I have to learn how to write in teeny chunks o' time, as little as a half-hour.
So wish me luck. I start in two days.
In other news, I was a little stalled with the running because funky things kept happening to my calves, but new shoes took care of the problem. Unfortunately, while I was wrestling with the issue and exercising less (and eating a lot to help myself think through it), I gained back about a fourth of the weight I lost over the last nine months. It was discouraging, plus I was already frustrated with a plateau. In addition to getting back into my running habit, I've shaken up my usual workout routine and signed up for that yoga the kids are doing these days. Hopefully that will help. It's interesting, and I'm sore in new places, so that must be good.
Namaste. That's yoga talk for Good day, eh.