There are some days I just don't want to write. Days when the very idea of sitting down in front of my computer and tap-tap-tapping on the key to form even one sentence is the very last thing I want to do. I've felt this way for the past week or so. It's not that I haven't been excited about the book.
Nope. My head is full of scenes, and I can describe my hero right on down to the scar on his... well. Never mind. You'll need to read to find that out. Sometimes I think I can even hear the voice of my heroine, although I'm wondering how upper-class British a woman who's been in St. John's for most of her life during the the first decades of the 1800s would sound. There'd likely be a large mix of Irish and lower-class British dialects tossed around in her world. But I suspect she had a very strict and proper governess. Her father likely wouldn't have sacrificed that. Regardless, I've been thinking about the book. I just haven't done anything to get it down on paper.
If I wanted to come up with excuses, I certainly could. But the real reason is sheer burn-out. The past few weeks at work have been exciting, lots of new projects on the go, quick deadlines, high expectations, etc. And since the majority of what I do at work is write, you can see why writing more at home hasn't really been tops on my list.
But then yesterday morning (Friday) I walked into the sun-lit kitchen. The combination of the bright sun, amplified by the snow, and the welcoming sight of a tidy dining room table, made me want to call in sick and plop myself down at the table and just write away. Of course, I didn't. I went to work. But I spent all day wishing I was at that table writing. Last night I sent myself to bed early just so I could have a chance at wanting to wake this morning. And here I am.
And you know what? The sun is just as bright. The table looks just as inviting. And I feel a scene or two coming on. What do you know. It's time to write again.
I really am a get up in the morning and write kind of writer, which is surprising since I'm a notorious non-morning person. When I was at Kilmory at the writing retreat back in October it was the same thing. I'd wake up, make coffee, and go for a walk. In the sun. In the drizzle. In the pouring rain. Didn't matter. A quick little jaunt through the woods, and I was ready to go.
The separation between the real world and the writing world also helped, and I think I might need to escape for a bit once I really get into the meat of this book. Of course, we're planning a trip to England very soon, but that's fact finding. I'll likely write (and I'll blog, of course) while there, but I think by the summer I'll be taking weekends and hiding in whatever cabin I can manage to borrow. I'm lucky between my parents, my in-laws and my aunt, there are three.
So now I'm off to grab a coffee, and a bagel, and see what happens next.
And sorry for the 11 day blog break. I won't let it go this long again.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Seven novel accomplishments on Saturday
A.K.A : I may not have written the chapter (or even a paragraph) but Saturday was still a good day for the novel
1. I now have two family trees for the main characters.
You may wonder why it's important that I know that the heroine's grandmother was born in 1741? After all, there was a lot of "if this character had that character when she was 18 then that character was born in 17XX" going on during this process. But this really helped me figure out who's who, and why they're relevant in the story.
2. I found maps of Somerset for the time period I'm writing about
Now I know where they live, and how far apart the two family homes are from each other. Sure, these homes are fictional, but they're near real places.
3. I know how long it takes to get from one house to another on horseback, and in a Phaeton.
You see, I should know how they get back and forth, and just how much of a jaunt it is. I should add it took considerable time to decide on which type of carriage best suited my character.
4. I know a great website for village inn's in England
Ok. I admit it. This has nothing directly to do with the novel. But it's essential for hubby and I for when we go to England this spring. For research. So a novel accomplishment it shall be.
5. I'm pretty sure I know enough about dying of syphilis.
When you read the book, you'll know why this matters. And no. This is not a spoiler.
6. My heroine's brother has a name, and I now like him
Again, important, since in the beginning, I wasn't sure how I was going to make him. But he's an alright fella, once you get to know him.
7. I almost have a song for a critical part of the book decided on
Yes, this sounds like I'm stretching for accomplishments just so this list could be about 7 accomplishments instead of 6, but really, I've been obsessing about this since August. Seriously. And now I think I almost have it decided. Big step.
So there you have it. I didn't write a word for the book, and yet managed to write pages of backstory, build some pretty charts, and in general, figure out some things. Because writing a novel isn't just about writing the book. There's a whole lot of thinking, and rethinking, and figuring stuff out. And that was Saturday. All in all, a decent day. This Saturday I'm getting my done, but other than that, no plans other than to soldier on.
1. I now have two family trees for the main characters.
You may wonder why it's important that I know that the heroine's grandmother was born in 1741? After all, there was a lot of "if this character had that character when she was 18 then that character was born in 17XX" going on during this process. But this really helped me figure out who's who, and why they're relevant in the story.
2. I found maps of Somerset for the time period I'm writing about
Now I know where they live, and how far apart the two family homes are from each other. Sure, these homes are fictional, but they're near real places.
3. I know how long it takes to get from one house to another on horseback, and in a Phaeton.
You see, I should know how they get back and forth, and just how much of a jaunt it is. I should add it took considerable time to decide on which type of carriage best suited my character.
4. I know a great website for village inn's in England
Ok. I admit it. This has nothing directly to do with the novel. But it's essential for hubby and I for when we go to England this spring. For research. So a novel accomplishment it shall be.
5. I'm pretty sure I know enough about dying of syphilis.
When you read the book, you'll know why this matters. And no. This is not a spoiler.
6. My heroine's brother has a name, and I now like him
Again, important, since in the beginning, I wasn't sure how I was going to make him. But he's an alright fella, once you get to know him.
7. I almost have a song for a critical part of the book decided on
Yes, this sounds like I'm stretching for accomplishments just so this list could be about 7 accomplishments instead of 6, but really, I've been obsessing about this since August. Seriously. And now I think I almost have it decided. Big step.
So there you have it. I didn't write a word for the book, and yet managed to write pages of backstory, build some pretty charts, and in general, figure out some things. Because writing a novel isn't just about writing the book. There's a whole lot of thinking, and rethinking, and figuring stuff out. And that was Saturday. All in all, a decent day. This Saturday I'm getting my done, but other than that, no plans other than to soldier on.
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