I have a confession to make. I get bored easily. Not in the bad, whining-13-year-old way. In the grown up, I need to diversify way. Which is why working on multiple projects (usually) works so well for me. When I get stuck in one wip I can usually count on the other (I rarely work on more than 2 wips at a time) to get me going again.
Which is why the past two weeks have flummoxed me to no end.
I've been "bored" but I haven't been able to concentrate or really make any progress on either the in-progress wip or the just-getting started wip. Part of it is the feedback recently received from a couple of contests. Very low scores and a few judge comments that really hit me - like I had no plot. Of course this judge's other comments made it obvious he/she hadn't actually read my entry. Still, the bad stuff sticks with us, doesn't it? Part of it is the madness of the holidays. But mostly I just wasn't sure where to go with either wip. I knew my characters. I knew the road I wanted them to take and yet getting them on that road just wasn't inspiring at all.
Thanks to my stupendous CPs and friends (they're both both by the way) I'm kind of back on track. I figured out what's been bugging me about the in-progress wip and (hopefully) what made the judges not like it. I also came up with a new direction for the just-getting-started wip.
But I'm still struggling a bit. I'm still not 100% inspired and I'm still struggling to work on the wips...but I'm hoping that getting to work will get the 'boredom' out of my system.
Which is why the past two weeks have flummoxed me to no end.
I've been "bored" but I haven't been able to concentrate or really make any progress on either the in-progress wip or the just-getting started wip. Part of it is the feedback recently received from a couple of contests. Very low scores and a few judge comments that really hit me - like I had no plot. Of course this judge's other comments made it obvious he/she hadn't actually read my entry. Still, the bad stuff sticks with us, doesn't it? Part of it is the madness of the holidays. But mostly I just wasn't sure where to go with either wip. I knew my characters. I knew the road I wanted them to take and yet getting them on that road just wasn't inspiring at all.
Thanks to my stupendous CPs and friends (they're both both by the way) I'm kind of back on track. I figured out what's been bugging me about the in-progress wip and (hopefully) what made the judges not like it. I also came up with a new direction for the just-getting-started wip.
But I'm still struggling a bit. I'm still not 100% inspired and I'm still struggling to work on the wips...but I'm hoping that getting to work will get the 'boredom' out of my system.
You and I have always been alike in this respect, and for similar reasons.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad something sparked for you!
Isn't it funny, though, when you go back to re-read (and rewrite--sigh) your stuff, you won't remember what was "inspired" and what was written word by excruciating word?
ReplyDeleteKristi -
ReplyDeleteHonestly, that's the way I felt like I spent most of 2009. Worst writing year since I started.
Sometimes the smallest things can trip you up, and I think reaching out to other writers is one of the best ways to fix the block. Believe me, I'm about to "reach out" to you and D'Ann soon!
Kelsey
You're right, Liz! It's the pressing forward that counts!
ReplyDeleteKelsey, reach out any ole time, I owe ya!!
D'Ann, thanks for brainstorming with me the other day..can't tell ya how much it helped.
Just now saw Kelsey's post. Anytime, I owe you so much for all the help you two provide!
ReplyDelete