 | 26 Jul 09 |
I’m presently coming off back-to-back two weeks of cons — RWA Nationals and Comic-Con. To say I’m wiped out would be an understatement. However, it was all lots of fun. RWA with friends and CC with my family (though both definitely qualified as work). But… now it’s time to get back to writing. I’ve taken a few months off — it was absolutely wonderful and necessary — so I know getting back into the groove won’t happen overnight. It’ll take some planning. This leads me to contemplating how prolific I’ve been in the past and what I need to do to get back into that mindset. Quite a few things have changed over the last few years and I can’t help but wonder how many of the changes might be affecting my ability to hit “the zone” as regularly as I used to.
First, my writing hours. When I started my career, my daughter was an infant and my son was in afternoon kindergarten. I could sleep in most days and stay up very late at night. Writing until the wee hours of the morning worked for both me and my daughter. I still find myself having bursts of creativity just before I fall asleep, but I’m no longer tapping into them because I have to get up early.
Second, I moved locations. I used to have my office upstairs in the loft. Now, I have an office downstairs in the den/bedroom vacated by my stepson when he left for school. I thought the larger, dedicated space would be conducive to writing (I set it up according to the principles of Feng Shui, too), but maybe not? It’s a high traffic area — adjacent to the family room and across the hall from the downstairs bathroom. The loft, while open, was up and away.
Third, I’ve been blessed to write for multiple editors/publishing houses. Styles and demands were different for each one. I’ll be honest and say that I’ve been very valuable to some and not so much to some. For me, it’s very hard to get excited about a project while feeling like my editor/house isn’t. The mental/emotional stumbles set me back a bit in the creativity department. I think I’ve recovered, but maybe my mindset was tweaked enough to slow me down indefinitely? Can’t let that go on. This is a tough business. Picking yourself up and dusting yourself off is a necessity for a career author.
Fourth, the internet. Yikes. It’s a major time suck now and it wasn’t before. I keep trying to brainstorm ways to stay instantly available to my editors and agent without being plugged in all the time. I haven’t figured it out yet, but I really need to. I know if I can disconnect, I’ll get a lot more done. Any suggestions? The phone is fabulous, but not a viable solution for full-time.
Fifth, the gym. I used to go three times a week. Now it’s closed and I don’t go. I’ve gained lots of weight and I know that’s a factor I need to address in order to get back into peak creative (as well as physical) form.
What other things affect creativity and production? If you’ve taken an extended break, how did you get back into the saddle again? Have you ever found that returning to an old routine brought the magic back?
Sylvia Day is the national bestselling, award-winning author of seventeen novels. A wife and mother of two, she is a former Russian linguist for the U.S. Army Military Intelligence. In addition to her novels, she’s written numerous novellas and short stories for both print and electronic-original release. Sylvia’s work has been called “wonderful and passionate” by WNBC.com and “wickedly entertaining” by Booklist. Her stories have been translated into Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, German, Czech, and Thai. She’s been honored with the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, the EPPIE award, the National Readers' Choice Award, and multiple finalist nominations for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award of Excellence.
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Syl, I had the same issue with the writing / exercise deal.
Writing / office space — I had a much larger and definitely nicer room in the front of the house. Wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, a nice view… right off the kitchen and living room. Every time someone came in the house, they would “check” to see if I was in there working. Once they checked, they’d feel compelled to say hello, or ask about my day. I’d feel guilty if I didn’t stop what I was doing and ask about their day. Etc. Inevitably, this would happen when I was staring into space, thinking of the next scene… and I’d have to start over when they left. There’s a certain amount of privacy I think is reasonable, but I also think it was just like dangling a cat toy in front of a cat to be sitting there within easy access to them. I moved my office to a much smaller space in the back of the house and now they have to purposefully come down a hallway to find me if they want to talk. Which, let me assure you, they will do when it’s important, but it completely halted the random interruptions just because I was there.
The exercise thing — what I also did, and am just now starting to take advantage of it, is move a couple of pieces of exercise equipment to what had been my old office space. And a TV. (I do not keep a TV in my office.) This way, you could exercise there where you’re able to answer questions while still getting something done.
I haven’t really found a solution for the internet. I know I sort of unplugged from Twitter last week for a few days because the constant conversation was too much. I’m probably only going to check in there once a day. Email is in the background, so I can see when my agent/editor needs something. Everything else gets set aside until I’m done with the work.
by toni mcgee causey July 27th, 2009 at 5:03 amAnd I meant to add that you looked fabulous–seriously. It was great to see you.
by toni mcgee causey July 27th, 2009 at 5:06 amThank you. *blushing*
It was AWESOME to finally meet you in person! I hope we get a chance to seriously connect at some point soon. ((hugs))
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:28 pmI’m wondering if I should seriously consider moving back up to the loft. This office thing doesn’t seem to be working.
I’m also contemplating getting a Wii Active to see if the trainer on it is motivating enough for me to work out at home…?
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:27 pmI have a small office away from everyone too. It’s upstairs and they know to interrupt only when it’s important. Of course, now that all the “kids” are gone the only ones who interrupt are the furbabies and they are on their own schedule.
I have taken Youngest Daughter’s bedroom and am slowly turning it into an exercise, rest are for myself. It’s downstairs and they can interrupt anytime.
As for the internet thing- what about an email addy dedicated only to the agent/editor that you leave running in the background?That way you know if you get something it’s important. Let everything else go to a different one. That’s what i have done, so i know what’s important and what can wait, and then what is garbage. (I have a whole bunch of emails for just this purpose- business, personal, ads)
by ev July 27th, 2009 at 5:46 amI think I’ll try the dedicated email. I hesitated because I didn’t want to inconvenience my editors/agent, but I’m sure they’ll agree that anything that helps me write with more focus is a good thing. Thank you!
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:30 pmMy dear, as Toni said, you looked FABULOUS at RWA! This past year has been tough on most folks, I believe. But I ain’t letting it get the best of me. Get back on that horse and ride, Sally, ride!
by Debra Webb July 27th, 2009 at 5:57 amThank you! ((hugs))
Nothing can get the best of you, darlin’. You’re too fabulous.
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:31 pmI have the ultimate privacy for my work…I’m the roommate. Which means my computer–everything–is in my bedroom. Good and bad.
This past 18 months have been extraordinarily stressful for me–one of those stretches of just one thing after another with no recovery time in between. THAT (stress) is what saps my creativity. For me, the only thing that keeps me going through it (and eventually, always, break through it) is just to keep writing. Give myself a 100 word a day wordcount if necessary, and write no matter what.
Exercising and eating right are essential, too–while I’d love to be one of those writers who can brag about living on Diet Coke and M&Ms when in the midst of a creative burst…I can’t. I’ve learned my brain doesn’t function well with too much sugar in it. Hurts (boy do I miss chocolate) but, there it is…ah, the things we sacrifice for our craft….
by Lorena July 27th, 2009 at 6:06 amSugar kills me, too. And carbs. I really only feel great when I’m on the Atkins diet.
Chocolate… I can’t go there. I’ll wax poetic all day.
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:32 pmI used to work nights, which was great for writing. I’d get home at 2:30 a.m. and work until 4. My husband and daughter weren’t pestering me for anything. It was great. But when I started working days, I had to totally rearrange everything. I had to find time that I just didn’t have. It was a struggle. But I managed, and now that I’m working part time and have a couple of hours in the afternoon before my daughter gets home from school and then time when she’s at her choir rehearsals, it’s gotten easier again. You just have to take a good look at your schedule and carve out time when you can.
As for exercising, I do half an hour to 45 minutes every morning, the first thing I do when I get up. Otherwise I’d never do it!
by Karen Olson July 27th, 2009 at 7:09 amI miss my gym.
I have the time. I really do. But for some reason, I don’t feel especially creative until after midnight. I’m wondering if that’s something that can be wrestled around, or if I just have to go with it and make things fit around that quirk.
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:36 pmLet me add to the chorus of you looking fab at RWA! (As did the rest of the MSW gals!) It was a blast to meet you.
Like Ev, I have a separate email for writing. It, and all the other addies, dump into a “controlling” email account and there’s a notifier that pops up letting me know who’s emailed. I can respond if it’s important. Twitter and blogs are my “internet drug of addiction” and I simply have to close the browser when I’m working, with promises of checking them on breaks.
I’m in the process of moving my office from the back Florida room (which gives me no privacy but is close to the door for fuzzypup in-n-outs) to the former dining room which is being turned into the library. We have plans of taking out the window, putting in French doors, and adding a deck. I’m lucky, though. I can pretty much write anywhere. The Only is in college and only bugs me a couple of times of day to visit and I can tell her to go away until I complete a thought.
I also keep telling myself that I’m going to walk the dog every morning. Uhm…I will. Tomorrow…
by Silver James July 27th, 2009 at 7:19 amThank you! ((hugs))
My Outlook sorts everything into folders and pops up alerts when my editors/agent emails, but I really need to be able to shut out everything else. Is it a lack of willpower? I think so. Bad Sylvia.
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:39 pmwhen I find a system that works for me I’ll be sure to share – not that it would help … everyone needs to find their own special set-up. honestly, I’ve tried a hundred things and nothing seems to be the sure-fire method. *sigh* in the meantime I’m all over the place, living room, dinning room, back yard, patio … don’t have enough room in my house for a designated ‘office’ but the kiddies know the living room chair (the comfy overstuffed one) is MINE !!!
by ban July 27th, 2009 at 7:41 amI’m anxiously reading comments from everyone else so I can solve my own exercise and internet-time-suck problems LOL!
At the moment my computer is in the center of the house. Family room surrounded by all the kids used to be okay for me to write. Not anymore.
by Wendy Roberts July 27th, 2009 at 8:04 amI have a wimpy exercise routine (can you call pedaling on a recumbent bike for 32 minutes a ‘routine’?), and my motivation is I can read without guilt for those 32 minutes. Some days I might add a few feeble reps on two weight machines.
However — I might need to kick that up several notches, as well as get back to more sensible eating habits. The hubster made anniversary reservations at Victoria & Alberts, along with a room so we don’t have to drive home after being stuffed to the gills with great food and wine pairings. I figured, OK, that’s one night.
THEN … this morning I get an email from #1 son that two of our kids have kicked in for a 4 night Caribbean cruise as an anniversary gift.
If I don’t eat anything between now and then, maybe I can fit into some decent-looking clothes.
As for writing. I’m writing purely on ‘spec’. I don’t know what will become of it, but the motivation to try something new was good enough, since nothing else was moving.
The office is the same – but now that the aforementioned hubster is unemployed, there are more interruptions. He gets out of the house for half the day working on his leftover projects, so I’ve kind of pushed my writing to the afternoons, when he’s not home.
Don’t know what’ll happen in 3 weeks when the company moves its office to the coast.
by Terry Odell July 27th, 2009 at 8:41 amHappy Anniversary!!
Your exercise routine is way better than my ass-in-chair routine, believe me. Be proud.
I have an speculative project in the works, too. I can’t help it. The darn story wants to be written and it won’t leave me alone. Would be okay if I was writing as fast as I used to, but since that’s not the case…
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:43 pmOh Sylvia, we at SFRWA are all so impressed by your work habits already, we talk about you all the time, you’re kind of like the goddess spirit we invoke when we want to motivate ourselves.
That said, I’ll agree that exercise is one of the most motivating things I do. It’s just hard to get deep into the groove when you feel like crap, and on the flip side, coming home with my pulse elevated from a workout makes me want to get back to work. The other thing is that exercise time = reading time for me. I only do gym machines that allow me to read a book. Lots of people tell me i’m not getting a “real” workout if I’m reading. My response is “screw that” – my #’s are fine at the Dr. and I feel good and last time I checked I was in charge of my own body and besides, I don’t think I asked for their opinion.
Oh, hell, it must be monday
Better have some more coffee
by sophie littlefield July 27th, 2009 at 9:43 amxo
sophie shhh, i told syl we *never* talk about her.
by Karin Tabke July 27th, 2009 at 1:48 pm*blushing* Thank you! That’s actually lovely to hear. Motivates me to have motivated you.
Coffee is good every minute of every hour of every day of the week.
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:45 pmsylvia, have you been doing the vulcan mindmeld thing? as I read this I kept nodding and going, yep, uh huh, that’s me. but i have to say, it really isn’t. you do more in a day than i do in a month! I am so mind-boggled by what you accomplish every freaking single day. I feel like such a slacker! you so deserved your time off, and well, your entire world is about to blast open to an entire different stratosphere, and I’m gonna grab onto your coattails and live vicariously through you.
by Karin Tabke July 27th, 2009 at 1:54 pmChica, I feel the same way about your world. So glad I get to watch it happen for you. ((hugs))
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:47 pmYou’re reading my mind…
I’ve just starting to write again late at night. My best writing ‘creative’ time is from 10PM until about 2AM…and then because things were happening with my daughter that required me to be close to her while she slept (night seizures), added to the fact that she was often waking up just when I was going to go to sleep, I decided to start going to bed earlier and write all day instead. I was just too frazzled and worried to write at night at that point anyway.
I’ve been trying that for a year. It’s like pulling teeth. I’ve never gotten used to it. Just yesterday, my husband pulled a huge comfy chair into the bedroom so I can be close to my daughter and work as late as I want without typing next to him in bed.
It’s like HEAVEN!!! OMG – I actually love writing again. I won’t screw with my writing rhythms like that again if I can help it. During the day, I can revise and plan and write a synopsis and things like that – but the real writing? I’m all about the late night.
As for the exercise thing – I have a trainer come to the house 2x a week. The money I spend on her makes me feel guilty if I don’t exercise myself on the days she’s not here. My health is important – my daughter needs a strong mom. So that’s pretty good motivation too…
by Stephanie Tyler July 27th, 2009 at 5:20 pmI think I’m just going to have to suck it up and work my life around my creative schedule. It has to be better than sitting in the chair all day and watching very little happen. I can get more pages written from 12-2 AM than I can all day. Why fight it? It’s exhausting.
I so envy you your personal at-home trainer. You’re right. Your health is important. I don’t know how you do all you do, but I admire you, Steph!
by S. J. Day July 27th, 2009 at 5:51 pmYeah, Syl, I’m the same night owl as you are. I’ve always been that way and I had a lot of years of a “regular” schedule–everyone thought that if I just went to sleep earlier, I’d wake up earlier and everything would shift. Well, not really. If I get up early, even habitually (months), I still end up tired in the evening, but catch that second wind around ten or eleven, and then next thing I know, it’s 2 a.m. and the writing is going gangbusters. I finally just gave in and napped before the kids came home and then when they went to bed and spent time with my husband, I would get to do the writing. I will probably always adhere to that schedule, especially during crunch time. It’s just when I think the best!
by toni mcgee causey July 27th, 2009 at 7:04 pmOnce you break a routine, it seems hard to get back to it and experience the same results. You’ve changed and your circumstances have changed. Some times I thinks it is best to set up a new routine which incorporates the best of what worked before that fits the new situation and new elements that will spark things now. It is a really hard thing to do.
by Patricia Barraclough July 27th, 2009 at 8:39 pm