So everything’s been set in motion.
My course has begun, my new freelance work job is up and running, which’ll give me four clear writing days or so a week, and spiritually, I feel ready for anything, reinvigorated.
I feel a new sense of purpose and confidence but, of course, people with a ten-second attention span like myself can always be blown off course easily. So I’m working on a number of projects which will hopefully provide me with a bit of variety from day-to-day.
I was chatting with someone about this the other day. I miss the daily deadlines I used to have at work, I miss them dearly, and have often struggled to impose my own on my writing work, and I think it’s a common problem for writers.
It’s not that I’m not writing from day-to-day, but I could happily fiddle around with the same scene till doomsday, when what I should be doing is forcing myself to draw a line under it at a specified time, and then move on.
Now, at least, with the MA, I’ll be getting the kind of regular feedback that will enable me to move forward, to pick up the pace a little.
What about you? Presuming, you’re writing in your own time, or are not getting paid, what kind of discipline do you place on yourself to keep moving forward with your writing?
***
I love reading novels, and there’s never a book too far from my side. And once I’ve started reading a book, I force myself to finish it, whether I like it or not.
But I’m struggling with Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.
It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s beautifully written and everything, but the entire book is infused with such a sense of cataclysmic disaster for the father and son who roam the dusty post-apocalyptic road of the title, that I can’t hardly bear to read on.
It’s an absolutely heart-breaking book. I’m only half way through it, and I don’t know if I can bear to read on. My nerves are shot. Christ knows, you won’t see me going to see the Viggo Mortensen movie when it eventually emerges.
Anyone else read it? If so, please tell me that everything’s going to be okay?
April 27, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Hi Mark – good to hear you sounding so inspired. Let us know what you’ve been getting up to on your MA.
We were chatting about discipline/routine t’other day over at Michelle Goode’s blog (Sofluid). I was actually more productive while fitting my writing around a full-time job. By doing it first thing in the morning, I also went into work feeling stimulated and creative.
Since I went freelance (last Autumn) and found myself with a bit more spare time at home, I’ve fallen prey more easily to procrastination. I think not having the immovable deadlines associated with the MA also let my writing muscles go a bit flabby.
Anyway, I think I’ve managed to recover the situation now; I haven’t got much work booked for the next few weeks, so I need to justify sitting round all day by getting some work done. Fortunately I’m a morning person, so I’m quite often ready to go by 7.30am (although I usually treat myself to a TV ep before getting stuck in).
I don’t really get stuck on specific scenes too much. I tend to outline in a fair bit of detail and have an idea of where it’s going, even if it’s just for the next few pages, and even ifI haven’t got all the beats worked out. I’d always rather crack on and finish the draft, knowing that I can go back and look at it afresh later (quite often changing things in the light of later ‘discoveries’).
April 27, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Hi Tom,
I don’t think I procrastinate as such, but I think I’m a world champion tinkerer. But something’s clicked in me recently. Maybe because I’ve realised that outlining and doing beat-sheets, character notes, and all that is part of the writing process and can be regarded as such. For a long time I’d feel guilty if I wasn’t working on a scene or knocking out some dialogue, as if I wasn’t really working.
I’m not sure I could manage to start at 7-30am, though, so well done you!
April 27, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Hi Mark,
Glad to see you’re back in the land of blog!
That Cormac McCarthy book sounds like my cup of tea. I’m a sucker for anything post apocalyptic, where the odds are massively stacked against the survivors. I’ve just read the blurb on Amazon and I can see why you’re struggling! From what I can gather the characters don’t see the point in surviving, which sort of turns the whole genre on its head! Cormac McCarthy must be a genius if can instill such angst inside his readers that they are truly tormented about what’s coming next and can’t bear to read on… either that or he’s an idiot for forcing people to stop reading his books! I’ll go with genius though…
It’s only £2.99, so I’m definately getting this…
As for writing, the problem I have is that I have to read through my script from the beginning so I can get back into it and continue. The trouble with doing this is that I too always “tinker” along the way and end up pondering scenes indefinately!
April 28, 2009 at 8:30 am
Hi Splinter!
The Road is well worth it, but from now on I’m reading it during the day, it depresses me too much before I drift into the land of nod.
Actually, the characters – or at least the father – wants to live – that’s what’s so heartbreaking about the book. There are two bullets left in their revolver and you can easily imagine yourself using them on yourself rather than attempting to head south in that hellish landscape. Actually, it reminded me a little of the adaptation of Stephen King’s The Mist, another startling, unsettling parable about the nature of faith. If you haven’t seen it, you really should, it’s a hugely under-rated movie.
Shall add you to my blogroll!
Cheers
Mark
May 26, 2009 at 11:21 am
Hi Mark – still all quiet on the blog front?
I hope you’re still feeling invigorated and productive. Let us know what you’re up to.
TTFN
Tom