Hmmm- what an original title. As I sit here looking at the blog title I realize that probably every single writer has at one time posted such a blog. (Ok every writer with a blog, so that narrows it down to only about 5 billion).
But this is a serious problem. The last few weeks I have simply been unable to get my butt to stay in the chair. Not just writing, I'm not really going online much when I get home either.
All I do is come home, eat, and watch ....TV. UGH. It started innocently, I pushed myself to get to the half way point on one of my projects, then once that pressure was off, limped into a few half hearted writing attempts (mostly re-reading and PULLING things out). Last week and a half- NOTHING.
Now I do love to write, so what the heck is wrong? Part of it could be self doubt- it always stomps around asking why I'm doing this. Thing is I like doing it- or rather I love having written ;).
But instead, I'm coming home and watching tv reruns. Then going into bed early because I'm tired. I'm not a big tv person. I only follow a few shows. But instead of doing something I love, I find myself channel surfing stuff I don't even want to watch? It's like eating something bad for you that doesn't even taste good but you eat it anyway- just because it's decadent.
Ha- maybe that's a clue. Maybe it's a "treat" to just go brain dead for an evening (they do insist on making me think at work) and I've taken that treat too far.
Tonight I realized I really had a problem, and am hoping I can pull myself back from the edge.
I've forced myself to get in 200 words in tonight on the Glass Gargoyle before I wrote this blog. I'm not leaving until I hit 500. It's not much, but it adds up. I'm hoping that I can just work my way through this serious, serious slump. I don't want to throw away my writing dreams because I'm addicted to the brain numbness of TV.
Anyone out there? What do you do when your "OMPF" to write has vanished?
I'm fighting that same disease right now. It's been over a year since I finished anything. I've written on three or four things but only gotten a few chapters in each.
ReplyDeleteIt's easier to not do anything. I need to rededicate and get productive.
I think if I could get an excise program working, it would help. I would have more energy (after the pain of the first week or two) and interest in doing things besides sitting with the TV.
Not that I've been at this all that long, but I found that when I put off writing, it's because I'm most likely not happy with the way the story is unfolding. And if I don't like what's happening, I'm not interested. When I realize that, I start thinking about what needs to change. When I get excited about the story again, then I have no problem getting back to writing it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you do just need a break from the story. Maybe you should start planning another book, or a short story, or just think of new ideas. Maybe that will bring the OMPF back.
Thanks Beth and Stacy :). Beth- I hear ya on the exercise program as well...I need to get in gear with that too.
ReplyDeleteStacy- I think you're on the right track, I'm working on the almost finished book- the Glass Gargoyle. It's helping :)
Got 500 done yesterday and 500 tonight- I guess baby steps!