I didn’t feel like writing anything today. I felt tired and overwhelmed and a bit wrung out. In fact, I still don’t feel like writing.
When I was younger, I would have sat back and waited for “inspiration” to strike, something that might have taken months. I think I’ve almost completely broken that habit. Proof? Today, even though I’d rather be anywhere else, I sat down in front of my computer to write out the one page summary for the sequel to the novel I just finished (I figure at the rate I get words down on paper I should have it done by the time the first one has been out a full year…best to start now). I set my timer for 15 minutes and told myself I’d do something else when it went off. In that quarter of an hour I managed to get a few paragraphs outlining the plot down. I kept my promise, cleaned up the house a bit, took care of the kids, and went back to writing even though I still didn’t feel like it. At least, I thought, I started. Might as well finish.
Then, I realized I wasn’t going to be able to fit it all on one page (thank you summary for the publisher that I never sent). I tried the same trick as before, trying to sound as if I were writing something for a book jacket instead of a “one page summary”. It fit. And in the process, I discovered things about these new characters I hadn’t realized before, including a few twists in the plot that hadn’t occurred to me until now. One of those twists happens to be big and will add a very real tension/conflict to the story that had been lacking, not to mention add depth to the characters involved.
I’m really getting excited about this story. I still don’t feel like doing the work of writing, but my imagination is engaged. The rest of me will follow soon enough.
Amy Keeley 