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August 16, 2008

Daily Blog 16: Words

At the halfway mark of this blog challenge, I find myself at a loss for words. Funny thing for a writer to say.

Maybe the loss is that I've also spent time this week working on my other book and making good progress. I mentioned in a previous post about not talking a book out so you don't feel like writing it; maybe putting all your energies in one thing also depletes your energy for another.

Well, not really. I'm a multi-task writer, used to changing formats, - nonfiction to fiction - so that's not really the problem. I'm used to working on different things.

But it's Saturday. I need to finish a couple other stories and I'm going to the fair later. It's a good day to play.

I think sometimes the best thing a writer can do is, unless they have a deadline, or even then, take a break. Step away. Rejuvenate. Relax. The words will flow much better next time.

** Your Turn: I seem to be on a theme here - rejuvenating, taking a break. How do you recharge your batteries to get back to writing?

7 comments:

  1. yup, i agree. those little "sabbaticals" from the daily regimen (it can even turn into a drag) are sometimes the best thing for the doc to order.

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  2. hi, i find that i can't write as a fulltime job. because then, when i try to be creative, i don't want to write because it reminds me of work. i have worked with magazines and some books in my country, but now i wanted to find the "me" part that doesn't fit magazine formats or another person's story (I ghost wrote 3 books). So to get my creative juices going, i put my mind on automatic for 8 hours a day, doing assembly line work as a medical editor (fixing the grammar of transcribers in an mt company). so far, so good, my work is getting done and i see my personal stamp on the book i am in the process of writing.

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  3. If I'm really rolling, I try to keep going. But it's good to take breaks, especially, for me, when I reach a point where I'm stuck for some reason. Then I get up, walk, exercise, take a nap, whatever I need to let my mind drift. Things come to me then. And I refresh and am ready to go back.

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  4. Photography--I grab my camera and hed ut into nature--preferably the Lake (I'm a water person).

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  5. It's funny 'cause today I had the same 'loss for words.' Lack of inspiration even though yesterday was a very inspiring day for my writing.
    I usually go for a walk to recharge my batteries.

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  6. I admit that I'm not good at taking a break. Heck, I can't take breaks at my day job without reading or jotting notes and such. Anyway, I do some photography, watch my daughter play softball, knit (but not well). Those things don't interrupt for long usually. And then, I'm back at it all over again.

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  7. I can't write for hours straight. I have the attention span of a a 4 YO.
    So I write or revise for 15 minutes. (I set a timer) then I do a chore. Or go for a walk. then set the timer again.
    I tend to be more productive this way.
    cmr

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