 | 21 Aug 08 |
School starts Monday. Am I happy? Well, I put stars and happy faces on the family calendar around August 25th. The kids were not amused.
True, my three little kids have had summer camp roughly the same hours as school. But because there’s no set time they have to be there, we were always late. School starts at 8:30. We weren’t getting to “camp” until 9:30, 10 . . . and then by the time I got my Starbucks and got home, it was 10:30 or 11.
And my two older girls, they had activities up the wazoo. Volleyball practice four days a week, acting classes, movies, etc. I was driver extraordinaire, which normally I don’t mind except that it interrupts my writing time. Sometimes I had to put my foot down and just say, I’m not leaving. But mommy guilt set in and I’d end up providing transportation, cutting up my writing time into smaller chunks.
That’s not the way I write. I like 4-5 hour chunks of time. That’s when I get my best work done. It takes me at least an hour to get back into my story. Then, once I’m deeply into the story, I like at least three hours to stay in the zone. When I have to drag myself away in the middle of the zone, it’s twice as hard to get back into it an hour later. This is the primary reason for most of my procrastination this summer–if I know I only have two hours before picking up Brennan #1 from volleyball, I tend to not start working until after that. It’s like why I don’t nap. If I take an hour nap in the middle of the day, I’m pretty much dead the rest of the night. I’m tired, I usually have a headache, and crabby. I hate naps. My husband, on the other hand, can take a 20 minute power nap on the sofa in his office and be re-charged. Wow, I wish it were that easy for me! Instead, I’ll just have an extra shot of espresso in my skinny caramel latte . . .
When school starts, I’ll have five and a half hours (roughly 9-2:30) to write. I won’t be interrupted unless it’s an emergency. I won’t have an excuse to procrastinate. I can still pick up my Starbucks and be back at my office by 9. I can be deep into the story by 10, 10:30 and write uninterrupted for hours. I’ve also found that I do some of my best writing at night, so I generally will write from about 9-midnight, which was my schedule before I sold.
So I hope.
I firmly believe that writers should write daily. And I do–even when it’s crap. Without creating a habit of daily writing, it’s much harder to sit down and write. Much easier to procrastinate.
There’s was a really good post over at Murderati yesterday if you missed it. JD Rhoades talked about whether you write (or read) as an “exorcism” or an “escape.” I found myself thinking about that question–and realize that I write as a form of exorcism, but I read to escape. I don’t think they are mutually exclusive, however. It’s quite cathartic to write about justice and killing off the bad guy. It’s also just as cathartic to fall deep into a story whether it’s a romantic comedy or a dark crime thriller. But for me, it’s the dark stories that stick with me for the duration, the ones where even in the midst of chaos and tragedy, good prospers over evil. I want to know–I need to believe–that no matter how bad things get, there is always a silver lining.
So I really have two questions today:
Do you write daily?
Do you read as exorcism or escape?
And, because I JUST got this in, I had to share my Japanese cover for SPEAK NO EVIL. Needless to say, I love this cover. I didn’t think I’d love it more than the first trilogy, but wow. I do!
New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award winning author Allison Brennan has published fourteen romantic thrillers with Ballantine, plus a novella and four short stories. She lives near Sacramento, California with her husband and five children. Recently, RT Book Reviews said, “A master of suspense, Brennan does another outstanding job uniting horrifying action, procedural drama and the birth of a romance — a prime example of why she’s tops in the genre.” For fun Allison enjoys wine tasting, swimming, playing video games, and—of course–reading. Her most recent release is CARNAL SIN, the second book in the Seven Deadly Sins supernatural romantic suspense series. Her Lucy Kincaid series will launch in January, 2011 with LOVE ME TO DEATH.
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Hi Allison,
So come fall the sleep suffers but what’s an unpubbed writer gonna do? You make it work….and just resign yourself to waking up crabby every morning from lack of sleep.
by Toni Hingleton August 21st, 2008 at 8:36 amMy goal is to always write daily but some days get away from me. I work full time so my day starts at 4am and I am back home at 5 pm. Can’t write until after making dinner and catching up with family (Hubby works nights). Needless to say I am not looking forward to school starting because then the writing starts later in the evening due to montoring, checking homework and of course the dreaded yelling at my youngest to go to bed
Reading for me is pure escape and of course it’s my favorite way of learning how to write and what the market is buying…..
~toni
Like you, I read to escape and write to exorcise.
And I do write every day… just not necessarily fiction.
In the past, my fiction and my nonfiction have fed each other; lately, though, nonfiction has been grabbing all my creative energy and leaving me with very little for fiction (I wrote a little about this in comments on Mark Terry’s blog). Rather than forcing fiction and having it potentially make me cranky–talk about mommy guilt!–I am trying to go with the flow, poke the fiction just to keep it smoldering but not enough to really ignite it… at least until school starts and I feel more back into a regular routine!
by Christa M. Miller August 21st, 2008 at 9:02 amOh I am bad. I should write every day, and I always have the best of intentions, but there are times when I spend all my day doing other things that eat up the writing time. And I have NO excuse. From the time my hubby goes to work until he comes home, I have hours stretched in front of me. And I still can manage not to do anything on some days.
I am supposed to write during the day, though sometimes the night hours are more productive. But I often like to wind down the day with reading, and yes, it’s an escape.
by Lynn Raye Harris August 21st, 2008 at 9:25 amI write to escape. I love falling into a story and feeling like I’m living with my characters. I read to escape also, but lately when I read a really good story I get cranky and start judging my own writing too harshly. Why aren’t there more bad stories out there? To make me feel better about my own writing. LOL
by Amanda August 21st, 2008 at 10:04 amFour of my 5 kids started school yesterday. The two year old lucks out and gets to be with me. I read to escape. My real life is stressful. My writing which now that the kids are in school can pick back up is also an escape. The down side is that the critique group I joined will have to be put on hold until hubby returns from Afghanistan. Only 420 days left!
by HollyD August 21st, 2008 at 10:13 amWhat is it with men and powernaps? Mine can fall asleep in a split second and wake up in 10 minutes ready to go. If I nap, it’s for 2 hours and then I can’t get to sleep that night.
I read to escape and procrastinate. Especially to procrastinate from writing.
by Kendra August 21st, 2008 at 10:16 amCurrently, reading is absolutely an escape for me. With everything that has been going on, I need that.
As far as writing daily…yeah, I do, at least Monday through Friday when I am working and have a daily deadline for work. My other projects, not so much. I try, but with all the other things I’ve had to do and the fact that sometimes my work writing ruins me for the rest of the day for other writing, sometimes it just doesn’t happen.
Now, if you want to count writing comments on blogs, writing my own blog (which has been abandoned for a couple of months or so now as real life has intruded), and writing forum posts, I absolutely write every day. I used to not count these things as writing, but my schedule has been so messed up for the past month or so, I claim the right to count them, at least for now.
by Elaine August 21st, 2008 at 10:34 amGreat cover, Allison!
by deborah August 21st, 2008 at 12:46 pmLove the covers, Allison! I read for a variety of reasons. For escape, yes. Also because it’s my business so I try to stay up on the market. I think it’s really importantto see what readers are currently enjoying.
I try to write everyday when I’m working on a book, although I delete as much as I keep. In between books or on breaks, I try NOT to write. But I’m usually playing with some idea or character, even if it’s something that will never make it into a book.
by Jen August 21st, 2008 at 1:21 pmThe covers look great!
I made myself a promise last year to do something writerly every day – writing, editing, querying, synopsizing… something. That way if I can’t get the words out, I don’t feel too guilty because I’ve at least accomplished something. So far I’m running about 90%. The most I can do in a stretch most days is a couple of hours. 4-5 hours sounds incredible. Maybe I can work up to that once my daughter goes to college and I’m home alone again. =o)
by B.E. Sanderson August 21st, 2008 at 2:14 pmFabulous covers, Allison!
I’m like the rest – read to escape, write to exorcise. Currently I can’t wait to get the existing voices out of my head so I can move on to the new ones.
I’m like you in the procrastination area, too. If I know I only have an hour or two to work, I’ll find something else to do because an hour just isn’t enough time to get into the meat of the story. Just when it starts to flow it’s time to go pick kids up or do something else that needs done. Which would explain why I write at night after the kids are all in bed and the house is quiet.
I love naps.
Just had one and feel energized to get back to work.
I’m jealous of all of you who have kids already back in school. Mine don’t start until Sept. 3rd!
by Elisabeth Naughton August 21st, 2008 at 3:18 pmBack to school, baby! My youngest started college this week. My house is very very quiet during the day. I try to write every day, and as far as why do I read? I just love to!
by Karin August 21st, 2008 at 8:53 pmHi Toni! Commitments are always a huge obstacle, but everyone can find the time to write if that’s what they love and want. And true, sleep does suffer
Aw, Christa, school. Thank God it’s mandatory
Lynn, I’m the world’s worst procrastinator. I wish I could be like Stephen King and others who sit down and write their alloted words, whether it takes two hours or ten. For me? I sit down for 5 hours and can write 1 page or 30 pages, depending on the damn muse.
Amanda, when I read some of my favorite authors, I feel exactly the same way. There are a few I am so humbled by that if I read them while I’m in the middle of writing, I get stuck because I’ll never be that good. But the way I see it: I’m me, I can’t be Tess Gerritsen or Lisa Gardner or JD Robb or Michael Connelly or Stephen King. I may never be as good as they are, and I can never be them, but I can be the best Allison Brennan.
by Allison Brennan August 21st, 2008 at 9:22 pmHolly–you and your hubby and in my thoughts and prayers! I know raising five kids is hard, I can’t imagine doing it alone. But you WILL do great and I’ll be counting the days with you. I hope you have a mom or mom-in-law or sister who helps. But YEAH! to four being in school. Woo hoo! My youngest is 4 and in pre-school during the same school hours as my other kids. What’s killing me now are sports and other activities. Daughter #1 has choir MWF at 7:15 am; volleyball M-Th from 4:45-6:45 (though some of those days are games, which can be anywhere from 3:30-5:30 and anywhere within a 1 hour radius.) Plus, gym Tues nights. Daughter #2 has to be at school at 7:55, at a different school, volleyball T/Th from 5:30-6:30; games on Wednesday. The three little kids are supposed to be picked up at 3 but on M/F so does Daughter #2, so they’ll have to stay an extra hour on those days, or drive with me 25 minutes each way to pick up #2. They get crabby if they’re in the car too long. It’s enough to make my head spin–fortunately, my husband is able to take #2 to school in the morning on his way to work, and pick her up T/Th on his way home from work.
by Allison Brennan August 21st, 2008 at 9:29 pmYep, Kendra. Damn the Y chromosome.
Of course you can claim blogs and comments, Elaine!
Thanks Deborah
I really love it.
Oh, Jen, I delete so much . . . I swear, I wrote 200,000 words to get a 100,000 word novel.
B.E., that’s exactly what I did when I was unpublished. If I really couldn’t write–and sometimes you can’t–I did something that was at least focused on my writing career. I would query, or read writing articles, or research for a book (which is a huge time suck for me.) So you’re definitely making progress.
Elisabeth, that’s exactly my problem. I usually don’t get into the flow until about 1 pm–and that only leaves 90 minutes of quality writing time before I have to drag myself out of the story and off to be a mommy. I’ve been writing a lot more at night as well.
Urgh, Karin, you’re making me very jealous!!!! I still have 14 years . . . .
by Allison Brennan August 21st, 2008 at 9:34 pmVery late getting back to the blog route after being out of town.
I, too, seem to be more creative when I know there won’t be interruptions. I found I could edit and do some rewrites and tweaks during the day, but until I felt comfortable turning off the day job (which was also out of my house), I never could steamroll along with new stuff. Now that I’ve quit the day job, I’m trying to get into a schedule that lets me write more during the day.
I’ve got very few excuses now–kids are all grown, hubby is happy to leave me alone if I tell him I’m writing. It’s a matter of ironing out plot wrinkles (which beats doing actual ironing), which can sometimes take what seems like days.
As for the naps — I can doze for 10-20 minutes. Hubby can sleep 2-3 hours at the drop of a hat and still get up from his chair and go to bed and sleep another 8 hours. I’m groggy and miserable if I drop off more than 20 minutes.
by Terry Odell August 23rd, 2008 at 12:10 pm