Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Routine

I'm reading more and more about writer's and their routines for writing. And it got me thinking: how can something so creative, such as being a novelist, be confined to a routine? This got me thinking about my own routine (or lack of routine). 

For me, I have no real routine when it comes to my writing. I don't get up at a certain time in the morning. I get up whenever I have to get up, which usually is about an hour before I have to be anywhere so I can quickly jump in the shower and bolt out the door. I should really change this as it means I hardly ever eat breakfast and it starts my mornings off in a frantic way. 

I do write my three pages every morning (about 750 words) which is pretty much me vomiting up whatever comes to mind. My morning pages aren't any sort of creative inspiration. I just write whatever comes to mind. Over the past few days, I've realized that those morning pages are mostly my whining that I don't have enough time, that life is hard, and that I need to get over myself. They aren't really helpful except that they get all that negativity out of my brain first thing so I don't have to think about it any longer. I suppose, having said that, that they are helpful in a way. 

Sometimes I get writing done during the day, other times nothing creative hits paper. I suppose that's a side effect of working three jobs. But it is NO excuse. I should find time, and I know that's a bad thing that I don't. I have plenty of opportunity to get writing done during the day, however, my brain chooses to spend it doing stupid mundane things like browsing YouTube or playing with the dog. Stupid things, well, maybe not all stupid. At least things that are not taking me closer to my goal.

My goal, which I want so much, is to be a writer: a published, successful writer. I need to buck up and start taking more steps towards that. I have ideas that need to be put down on paper and I have stories that need to be flushed out. I have things to do and new worlds to discover.

So! Writing goes to the top of my list. Sleep to the bottom. We'll see how long that lasts.

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