The winter and the thin economy put me to mind of slow food. My dinners these days are based on tough cuts of meat braised for hours with cheap root vegetables: carrots, potatoes, parsnips, beets. Simple, inexpensive deliciousness in no hurry to go anywhere.
That's my writing these days: unhurried and deliberate. What a relief. Last year pulsed, a frantic race: a rush to finish BRIGHTER THAN BRIGHT, a rush to market, a rush to get noticed. Even NaNoWriMo (which was a crazed blast). But this manic focus on getting attention sort of ruined the writing. The process of writing.
Now, I can write. There is NO market. Sure, I'll keep seeking representation (though at a leisurely pace), but there's no hurry: the agents have no idea where to submit mansucripts. Editors laid off, imprints merged and even dissolved, houses putting the kabosh on new acqisitions... eh. Who needs that migraine?
So, I write. Every day. Novels and essays and poems and shorts. Especially the latter, which have a chance in hell of seeing the light of day.
The joy is back. I remember WHY I write. This all makes me very happy. Really.
Slow writing... Peace, Linda
PS. One reason why the whole process is so damn slow. Via twitter via Neil Gaiman via MacMillan ==> THE TYPEWRITER
PPS. Cool. This is my 100th post.
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Happy Anniversary! 100th post, and I am looking forward to hundreds more!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you found the joy of writing once again. Sometimes all you need to refresh is a short break.
Welcome back to feeling happy :)
Hugs, Ethel
Happy 100th!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd right on with the writing, that sounds so great, getting back to basics, and back to joy, it should be joyful, you know?
Smilin' at you!
C
Yes, I agree. You have to enjoy what you are doing in order for the passion to show through. Angst kills joy, so toss the angst and just write. You're on the right track.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on #100.
~jon
A couple of weeks ago I was reading Heather Seller's "Chapter after Chapter" and her chapter five is "Slow is Fearless". Isn't it funny how good ideas seem to emanate from many sources?
ReplyDeleteThose of us spiritual might consider it a message... :)
Thanks for the post!
Peace,
Cindy.
Looking forward to the 200th blog, so keep it coming Linda.
ReplyDeleteLike Lamb's advice, will keep that in mind when I'm writing.
It's sometimes good to step back and reconnect with the reasons that you started to write, it puts things in perspective again Gillian
Thanks all. Let's see how long the slooooowwwwww lasts. Being a Type A, well... but perpsective is good. Peace, Linda
ReplyDeleteLinda, did you crawl into my brain? The other day, I was so aggravated with myself for all the pressure I put on to GET SOMETHING DONE. This is supposed to be the leisurely part of my career--when no agents or editors are hounding me.
ReplyDeleteGreta. Exactly. Just write - the rest will follow. When the joy goes, it is time to do something else, and that was what I was afraid was happening to me. Peace, Linda
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 100th post. I'm like you, I am enjoying this slow pace although I do try to write everyday. I can't break that resolution until Feb. 1st (that was my #2 resoltion).
ReplyDeleteYeah! and you look so young ;-)
ReplyDeleteI have gotten a little behind on my PAD for the year but only by 2 days...no pressure though as I am doing it for self.
I look forward to many more 100s
Thanks Paige and Queen! Just write as you can, screw convention and resolutions! Peace, Linda
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 100. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm very into slow as well.
Procrastinator by nature, I prefer to let things soak a long time. Ideas, pans, dirty socks - it doesn't matter-- they all come clean faster after a nice long sudsy soak.
Take your time. There no rush.
~Kim
Yeah Kim, slow is good... you should see my toilets... Peace, Linda
ReplyDelete