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Thursday, January 10, 2008

Blogging vs Writing...

Maybe I should take a break. I think the bloggage around here has been kind of light lately. I took lots of time off over Christmas, which was good and necessary, but may not have been enough.

I love blogworld. It's interesting, it changes regularly which is good for my flighty attention span, and it's creative. My typing skills have improved through blogging, and I believe my writing in general has improved. I write good like talking now. haha.

HOWEVER. I've said it before and I'll say it again...Blogging doesn't get novels written.

It can be an exercise or a distraction.

Right now I am actively working on being distracted because of a few factors.

-I have to do more edits on my Epic Troubled Teenager book and I just about can't face it. I spent all of 2007 editing and rewriting that book. I thought it was ready two edits ago. It's not. It's good but it has to be perfect.

-My current project is not behaving. I put it aside before Christmas and haven't gotten any flashes of inspiration so far.

-Another project is lurking in my mind and I don't want to write it. It is just too painful. I fear that even if I could write it, no agent in their right mind would take it on, no publisher would touch it, and none of you would read it. And also I mainly just don't want to write it. Yet it lurks and nags and won't let me go. Dammit.

-In the meantime I'm looking for magazines to send some of my work to, and am finding that there aren't many in the market for the Horse-Crazy-Subdivision-Mom-Music-Biz-Wife-Fledgling-Writer-Johnny-Obsessed-Farmer's-Daughter Genre.




I'm totally slacking. I haven't read as many blogs in months, or commented as much as I used to. I'm staring at a blinking screen or googling my own name or reading books about writing. Just...not writing. Blogging really doesn't count. Rewriting my bio over and over doesn't count. I'm going through some of the motions but not actually writing anything new. And aren't I the one who tells everybody that the best way to become a writer IS TO WRITE???!!!!

Let me tell you though, this week there's at least one benefit. My kitchen sinks are shiny. The rug in the family room is spotless. There are two bathrooms in my house and both sinks and bathtubs and toilet bowls are pristine white. I wonder if this will be a recurring pattern in my life.

I really don't believe in Writer's Block. I have always thought that a writer just has to push through it. The actual writing will probably be total crap but at least it's getting done. Sitting around moping has got to be the worst thing. I haven't technically stopped writing at all, but I've been poking it with a stick when it needs to be wrestled down and hog tied.

Speaking of which, I must take the obnoxious Pug out for a walk.

Then there's a barn full of dirty stalls outside of town waiting for me, and a brown and white pony to ride through the melting dirty snow.

And then, back to work...at something...

24 comments:

Heidi the Hick said...

I can't help but wonder if some of this angst is caused by the omission of my second haircut of the year. One haircut in 2007. That's it. Is this a hair thing? Could I solve the problem by having some young fella cut an inch off and do a little layering and slice a bit of colour in there?

Should I go out and invest in a can of Manic Panic Pink?

If I had pink hair again, would I be able to write without worrying?

These are the things that keep me up at night. Among other things.

Smartypants said...

A recommended writing exercise which works with a blog...the (in?)famous "morning pages." Write for a set amount of time...maybe only 15 mins. Write freely and don't edit. It seems to unclog a lot and sharpen your writing up for the coming day of working on your manuscript.

= )

Balloon Pirate said...

aww. Hope you stick around. But I know what you're saying.

I think you should go half pink, half purple.

yeharr

Heidi the Hick said...

OOh Smartypants!

I have done that a lot in the past. I kind of got out of the habit for the last few months. Good thing you brought that up. Back at it!

I did a ten or 15 minute stretch in my workbook with a pen. Just total chicken scrawl. It's amazing how well it works!

Heidi the Hick said...

Pirate, as you can see, I'm still here today.

And yeah...pink AND purple hair. Why limit myself?

Coffeypot said...

You need an attitude adjustment. Where’s that 2x4 when I need it? You are being so negative. You have a story in your head. Get it out! Whether an agent ever sees it or not is of no importance right now. It’s getting the story out for someone, somewhere to read at a future date. It doesn’t matter if you have dozens of unfinished or finished books lying around. Just write!

You have some touching up to do with your epic troubled teenage girl. Well, jerk a knot in her ass and get her adjusted. You have such an interesting life with Jethro’s business, the horses on the edge of town, the teenagers in your house, and that butt ugly that it makes him cute pug to walk.

Enjoy your gift. I do! I like dark red hair strips, too.

Heidi the Hick said...

Pink purple and red. There it is.

Well said, Coffeypot. You are right. I'm not usually this negative, but it's been one of those weeks where I'm feeling stretched thin and worn down.

I'll get over it.

And now it's 10 am with no dog walk. He's lying here beside me farting and snoring. Must get out of house. Must get out.

(Those unfinished books lying around my house do kind of gt me down sometimes...but the point is, I got them written. I did it. I can do it again.)

Okay, sucking it up and getting it done...

Distant Timbers Echo said...

Yeah, I got tired of writing too. So I tried my hand at something different on my blog. Not sure about it yet though...

Biddie said...

I was gonna say that purple hair si just what you need. Besides, don't sweat it - yet. Just have your hair done in time for The Junos.
I haven't been blogging much, either. Unlike you, though, I am not excelling in other areas. No sparkling ANYTHING at my house right now.

Anita said...

Hope you still blog, for our sakes, but if you need to stop for your sake then by all means... do what you gotta do...

Seems a lot of my favorite bloggers are thinking about quitting these days... Its all those hectic holiday days that got us all behind, and the let down afterwards - that's what I think...for what it's worth, which ain't much...

dilling said...

So...you are going on strike?

Holly Kennedy said...

"-Another project is lurking in my mind and I don't want to write it. It is just too painful. I fear that even if I could write it, no agent in their right mind would take it on, no publisher would touch it"

Suggestion? Write this one.

It sounds like you need to and because it'll be raw and real and something fresh is EXACTLY what agents/publishers are looking for. *smile*

P.S. I left you a lonnnnng response in my comments section of my blog this a.m.

Cate Gardner said...

You may find that the story you think no agent will touch, will be the one that sells...

Heidi the Hick said...

Oh, so much to think about!!!!

I agree with you Anita, I do think this is a giant letdown time of year. I didn't think it'd get to me much but I guess it sneaks up.

I don't think I'm going on strike (tee hee) but I am still considering taking a week off of blogging. I won't let ya all hang though.

And uh...I think that difficult book has to get written...I don't think there's any way around it...arrrrgh.

(Who ever said being a writer would be easy???? I don't think I ever said it!)

Marni said...

Can I distract you with visions of Johnny? Huh?

http://www.laineygossip.com/Johnny_Depp_London_premiere_of_Sweeney_Todd.aspx

Heidi the Hick said...

yeah...he's a distraction I'll always make time for!
Thank you!!

FOUR DINNERS said...

You blog when you want babe. Blogging should be a selfish excercise. I do it for me. Others having a look and commenting and even becoming my pals is a bonus.

If nobody ever looked in I'd still do it when I wanted as a release.

Good luck with yer book - some publisher bloke in Canada's asking for more chapters from me. I've sort of stopped for a bit.

There are some weird people in this world eh?

Michael Colvin said...

Maybe a total break from writing for a few weeks will kick start you back into it. Go do something else entirely. We will still be here when you get back and it might be just what you need.

Or maybe it's just the January thing.

Olly said...

I'm with Tod. It's a January thing.

Personally, I love blogging as an escape from what I really should be doing - working.

But seriously, what's with the tidy, shiney house? Spring cleaning in January?

Heidi the Hick said...

What's with the clean house? Oh that's just my NEW form of insanity! Whweeeeee hahahahahooooooo!


Tod, January is weird.

I do hope you'll still be here when I get back. Thanks.

4D, who is the publisher???? I wonder if it's somebody I hit up last year!

I started this blog for me, because I needed to say stuff that was too big for the little journal beside my bed. I always hoped I'd get readers. I didn't want to talk to an empty room. I got readers and I love it.

But I do think it's time for a week off.

And yeah... the world is absolutely full of weird people. Thank god.

CindyDianne said...

Heidi - I know EXACTLY what you need. ..

A trip.

to Texas.

and then to a little cabin in Oklahoma.

JJ.

Rooster.

Daisy.

Violet.

Cabin.

Wood burning stove.

Fishing in PJ's.

Hamburgers made my Rick at the Daisy Store.

Ribs made by me.

A (ok Dilling, fine) not-so-little cabin in the woods!

Interested?

Heidi the Hick said...

Darn right I'm interested! That all sounds AMAZING!

How long does it take to drive from ON to OK????

Pluvialis said...

I get it...and I've done it. Time off from a blog is good. Sometimes you just need to leave it be for a bit. Big hug across the ether (and thanking you muchly for the award!). Looking forward loads to hearing more when you're ready to blog again...take your time...write other things...relax.... xx

Heidi the Hick said...

Thank you Pluvi.

Means a lot to me.