It’s been almost two weeks since I have done anything substantial on my work-in-progress, and I have been beating myself up for it. I have good reason for the hiatus – I am facing a deadline for an e-course I am developing, and so I had to make that a priority. So it’s not like I’m goofing off or even not writing. But still, there’s always that fear that I will lose my momentum, that stepping away from a project will mean that I will never return to it.
Which is kind of ridiculous, actually. I mean, have I met myself? Slow and steady and following through is kind of my thing. But it’s so frustrating when I don’t have time to focus on a project. The common wisdom is that you have to put in the time every day, right? That’s why I found the interview with Anne Rice in the November/December 2013 issue of Writer’s Digest extremely comforting. She said:
“Whether [or not] I hit the keyboard, I’m writing in my head. I’m working on my books all the time.”
I realized yesterday, as I worked out on important plot point in the car on my way to work, that this was true. So I need to stop thinking that putting words on the page is the only thing worth doing.
Still, I am super-proud of myself that I managed to get up early and write 164 words before getting my son up for school. Every little bit helps.
Stories By Hand with Kathy MacMillan 