Hey,
everyone! Wow, I can’t believe my first post of 2018 is happening
in February. I did not intend to let this year advance so far without
welcoming it on my blog. But I’m sure you understand that life
happens. I’ve had a pretty packed and stressful few months dealing
with jobs and such, and I had to step away from my blog and regular
writing for a while. It seems I write better when I’m somewhat
relaxed and peaceful and there aren’t so many to-do list items
tapping on my shoulder and I’m not facing big decisions. The irony
is that not writing makes me feel unhappy and even more
stressed. Writing gets my brain in touch with my inner thoughts,
opening a deeper perspective on life, which is what I sorely need
during such times. Can you relate?
I
hope to post regularly again, though it might be on a monthly basis
for now. To anyone going through a legitimate case of writing
paralysis, do you know what’s cathartic? Just writing something
like this admitting that you’ve had a problem with writing. I
finally feel ready to plunge (or maybe dip) back in. I’ve had to
reassure myself over and over that I am still a writer and it’s
just a non-creative season. Pretty much every creative writer has
those. Sometimes you just have to focus on something else for a
while. You aren’t wasting what God has given you; you’re
recharging while other things take precedence. I really appreciate
this blog post on the subject by Deborah O’Carroll.
And
now, with that behind me, I have a few writing plans for the year
that I really hope to make happen:
- Publish a children’s story: a novella-length retelling of the Grimm’s fairy tale “The Bremen-town Musicians.” It’s with a first round of beta readers right now.
- Figure out what novel I should be working on next. I have two options: a third installment of the Six Cousins series (or maybe it’s more like a spin-off, since it doesn’t feature all six girls...) or a story set in Victorian England, inspired by my favorite Victorian authors. I’m praying about the right choice.
- Explore ideas for short stories.
I
hope you’ve had a good 2018 so far. Have you ever had to put on
hold your writing or some other project that you’re passionate
about?
I SO relate! I, too, prefer to write when I don't have a lot of distractions or stress going on, but I also get really unhappy when I haven't written! TWINS!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you've been so busy and I hope things will calm down for you. *hugs* It's okay to just "dip" back in! We all have those slow times when we can't really write, and it's okay. :) It'll come back! (And aww, thanks so much for the link-back! ^_^)
So excited about your writing plans! I can't wait to read the Breman Town Musicians story! :D I hope you can decide what to write next. I've been thinking about our short story discussion a lot lately, especially as I have a new "image" swirling around wanting me to write it... We'll see if I find time. I hope you'll be able to write something short and enjoy it! :)
Happy 2018, friend! I hope it's a lovely one for you! <3
I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one. Yes, twins!
DeleteThank you for your sweet encouragement. *Hugs* back. I'm dipping back in, trying to write creatively a little each day, and it's helping. You're welcome for the link-back...I was amazed to see how identical our feelings and experiences have been. I hope you can always feel a wonderful creative surge whenever you need it most. :)
Thank you for your excitement! I can't wait for you to read the Musicians story, and I'm excited to hear that you have a short story "image"...your short stories are the best! I look forward to knowing more.
Happy 2018! Thank you for dropping by!