On Not Writing

Often there are times as someone who writes that I find that instead of writing I am doing something entirely opposite: not writing.  Not writing can consist of a variety of things, one of which is posting on a blog about the fact that I am not writing.  In a sense, though, posting on the blog is writing, but it is not really advancing my ability to write as a writer or better yet, as an author of novels, which is really what I am talking about.

On a good note, I did actually (and surprisingly) make some progress on my novel this week, adding 1500 words to it.  Given that I am targeting 2000 words a week at a modest pace, that means I only skipped one additional day.  However, given my target to get the first draft finished to around 70,000 words by the first week of May, I am still a little bit behind by a week or so, and falling one additional day behind per week will delay me probably two weeks in reaching the goal.  Maybe I will binge write and cram some in, who knows.  After all, that's how I sludge through NaNoWriMo: write a pittance daily just to not feel bad about not writing, then skip a week or two because life gets in the way, then cram ten or twenty thousand words into two to three days of nonstop kamikaze writing.  I can't say it is a healthy way to approach it, but it does seem to work.  Maybe I can still make early May on draft one with something like that going on.

Regardless, what I have come to realize is that no matter what happens, there are days when I don't feel like writing, or at least I don't feel like writing on a novel. So, that presents me with two options.  In option one, I write anyway.  To be honest with myself, I must confess this is an option that I should choose more often of the two.  Even when I am not feeling like writing much, cranking out a mere handful of paragraphs to hit my tiny 500 word target for the day isn't too bad, unless I feel myself falling asleep at the keyboard (it has happened).  With option two, I need to find an alternative project to work on that is both working on something previously written (most or all of which needs considerable help), is a substantial enough amount of work that it corresponds with the level of effort required to write the 500 words, and is something that continues to advance skills in writing novels.

That being said, I have some chores to do.  First, I need to start picking a project to work on simultaneously, even if it is the backburner project to some writing.  It will allow me a change of pace.  I have thought about taking Seven Doors and editing it, but I am coming to the realization there that I have some point-of-view changes that need to take place there, among other big edits, and the daunting task of eating the elephant is staring me in the face.  Still, if I can find reasonable bite-sized pieces and start chipping away at it, I could very well have a finished novel (or more) ready to send out by end of year.

Then, as I do wrap up writing on White Rock, I can bring an editing project more to the forefront, work my way through that, and perhaps develop a handful of alternating tasks that I can work on.  If I am not creating new material, I may have the option to work on two editing projects simultaneously, though I am not sure I am quite ready for that as I have yet to develop a workable editing methodology.  We shall see.  I am also open to suggestions from anyone that has done the editing slog through and through and has an easily repeatable process.  My attempts so far generate more process questions than solutions, so I'll be trying something different this time around.

Ultimately, though, some of the best advice I have ever heard on how to write successfully is to write consistently, and that is something that, from what I gather, lots of authors struggle with, given other time pressures, activities, and our wicked ability to rationalize away the not writing.

So I suppose I can crank a few words out tomorrow and catch up for the week (so I will only be a week behind).  Cheers!  And if you have any editing tips, please feel free to leave me a comment.  I need the help.