Thanks for the reminder! I have been working on the same book for almost 3 years, consistently banging my head against it (albeit with smaller projects in there, too). There was good reason as I was getting coaching I had paid for and I was glad to get her perspective on a really hard book.
But then I gave myself permission to take a break, went back to a "short" story I had written before, and spent 2 hours figuring out how I could turn it into a novel. Now I am excited about writing again! I am excited to apply everything I learned from my coaching to a new project. And the other book, which is big and complicated, will still be there for me later.
That said, the thing I miss most about my first career (programming) was how straightforward it was. If I needed to find a bug, my likelihood of finding it absolutely was increased by just poking at it and running the scenario over and over. There was a direct correlation between effort and success. I do get frustrated that that is SO not true for creativity... but creative endeavors have different strengths. :)
I really needed this today. I also hate specific word tracking, and I think I want to try your list of what I've done idea. And I definitely can improve on the Resist Inertia front. I'm gonna keep that mantra in mind!
I LOVE this post--how you wrote it so that it's so helpful and also so interesting--and entertaining and funny!--to read. And it's clear that you're sharing your process, and that others might have a different process. The whole post.
I also relate to this a lot. I started my newsletter Doing the Write Thing BECAUSE I figured out a writing approach that works for me--actually works, actually means that I write regularly--and I want to help others find a writing approach/"routine" that works for them too.
And, like you said too, part of that for me too was realizing that all those moments spent looking at a newsfeed and, in my case, not really "needing" or enjoying that, could instead be time spent writing something I enjoy working on.
Similar to the list approach, when I work on In Your Dreams, I also recognize that not all writing time is writing--I recognize the value too of time spent brainstorming or editing or cleaning up/organizing notes. All of that = progress that helps the book progress too.
Thank you so much for sharing this! It was so well-written and I LOVE the LOTR references hehe.
Thank you for going into such detail! I honestly think this is the way I can work best too, but I'm not very experienced at it, so I keep getting sucked into making plans that I know I will not follow... And then just end up stuck and frustrated. I will steal your idea of a weekly done list, and keep practicing being more flexible (not easy because I'm very stubborn).
Wow, do I feel seen! SMART goals? Yeah, I've been trying to shoehorn myself into those puppies for years and never succeeding and beating myself up for being SUCH a failure. I love the idea of embracing Mr Fluid, and resisting inertia, and following the river wherever it may lead. Thank you!
I shared a book on Wattpad back at the end of 2018! And now the book is coming out in August. So I am reactivating that readership and sharing the edited/updated version of chapters.
I don't necessarily recommend authors have one, no. I only recommend authors have what they are interested in and feel comfortable using.
I wanted to share a book as I wrote it because it got back to my old, OLD roots on Fictionpress--so I did! Plus, the book in question (The Executioners Three) was such a departure from my popular series at the time (Witchlands) that we didn't think it was worth trying to sell right away. I am impatient; I didn't want to wait for readers to read; so I turned to Wattpad.
There was no strategy. I was hoping to one day publish it traditionally, but I didn't weigh that in my decision to share. And now the book WILL come out traditionally almost 7 years after I shared it!
Thanks for the reminder! I have been working on the same book for almost 3 years, consistently banging my head against it (albeit with smaller projects in there, too). There was good reason as I was getting coaching I had paid for and I was glad to get her perspective on a really hard book.
But then I gave myself permission to take a break, went back to a "short" story I had written before, and spent 2 hours figuring out how I could turn it into a novel. Now I am excited about writing again! I am excited to apply everything I learned from my coaching to a new project. And the other book, which is big and complicated, will still be there for me later.
That said, the thing I miss most about my first career (programming) was how straightforward it was. If I needed to find a bug, my likelihood of finding it absolutely was increased by just poking at it and running the scenario over and over. There was a direct correlation between effort and success. I do get frustrated that that is SO not true for creativity... but creative endeavors have different strengths. :)
Your last paragraph is so true, and accepting it is one of my big struggles as well.
I really needed this today. I also hate specific word tracking, and I think I want to try your list of what I've done idea. And I definitely can improve on the Resist Inertia front. I'm gonna keep that mantra in mind!
Thank you, as always 🩵
I LOVE this post--how you wrote it so that it's so helpful and also so interesting--and entertaining and funny!--to read. And it's clear that you're sharing your process, and that others might have a different process. The whole post.
I also relate to this a lot. I started my newsletter Doing the Write Thing BECAUSE I figured out a writing approach that works for me--actually works, actually means that I write regularly--and I want to help others find a writing approach/"routine" that works for them too.
And, like you said too, part of that for me too was realizing that all those moments spent looking at a newsfeed and, in my case, not really "needing" or enjoying that, could instead be time spent writing something I enjoy working on.
Similar to the list approach, when I work on In Your Dreams, I also recognize that not all writing time is writing--I recognize the value too of time spent brainstorming or editing or cleaning up/organizing notes. All of that = progress that helps the book progress too.
Thank you so much for sharing this! It was so well-written and I LOVE the LOTR references hehe.
Thank you for going into such detail! I honestly think this is the way I can work best too, but I'm not very experienced at it, so I keep getting sucked into making plans that I know I will not follow... And then just end up stuck and frustrated. I will steal your idea of a weekly done list, and keep practicing being more flexible (not easy because I'm very stubborn).
Start a Substack. This cures a lot of these inertia problems. Once you have readers, you'll have something to say
Great newsletter, friend. Oh, and happy birthday! 🥳
Wow, do I feel seen! SMART goals? Yeah, I've been trying to shoehorn myself into those puppies for years and never succeeding and beating myself up for being SUCH a failure. I love the idea of embracing Mr Fluid, and resisting inertia, and following the river wherever it may lead. Thank you!
Love this! SMART goals don't work for everyone and even when they do, they don't work every time (case in point). Also, I LOVE Becca!!
You have a Wattpad? What do you do on there? Do you recommend having one?
I shared a book on Wattpad back at the end of 2018! And now the book is coming out in August. So I am reactivating that readership and sharing the edited/updated version of chapters.
I don't necessarily recommend authors have one, no. I only recommend authors have what they are interested in and feel comfortable using.
I wanted to share a book as I wrote it because it got back to my old, OLD roots on Fictionpress--so I did! Plus, the book in question (The Executioners Three) was such a departure from my popular series at the time (Witchlands) that we didn't think it was worth trying to sell right away. I am impatient; I didn't want to wait for readers to read; so I turned to Wattpad.
There was no strategy. I was hoping to one day publish it traditionally, but I didn't weigh that in my decision to share. And now the book WILL come out traditionally almost 7 years after I shared it!