There is a weird dynamic to a writer's energy, to each individuals ebb and flow of inspiration, creation, and rest. Over the last couple of weeks, I've found myself opening up the blog window and immediately closing it down. I didn't have much to say, and I didn't want to waste precious words on mere blathering. I was hoarding my words, allowing them to bounce around the interior of my skull like an Atari game of Pong.
I've been reading a lot. Novels, short essays, graphic novels, etc. I've read more professional work than student work lately and it has been refreshing. I find myself "filling the hopper" as a former writing mentor told me would happen.
As a result of this quiet, introspective period, I've found myself revising my own work and even creating new material. The arrival of my contributor copies definitely helped boost morale, but this increasing quiet had been growing well before the mailman came a week ago.
Most of the time I feel I MUST be producing, must be maintaining a writing "practice" of sorts, and the blog definitely helps in that regard, but it also distracts from my other work. I'm posting on the blog today because I worked on one and a half chapters of my longer project today. I rediscovered my project and entered into it willingly, quietly, listening for what the characters wanted to tell me. It's been a good morning.
great to read about this window into your process. have you ever read the VERY teensy book called "a giocametti portrait"? it's about the famous painter/sculptor's creative process and i find it very similar to a writer's process. it's pretty need to see how an artist in a different medium puts it into words.
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