Let me preface this by apologizing first for yet another discussion started by me! Sorry!
But I'm finding it difficult to stay completely sane lately.
I've never worked this hard on my writing before.
I sometimes write eight hours with minimal breaks.
Weekends tend to be less (but not by choice)!
How do you guys stay sane (those of you who do stay sane)?!
Any tips--PLEASE?!

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love it too!
and thanks for the compliments.
Yes, very supportive husband. I wrote and worked for the past ten years, and when we moved my husband said, why don't you just focus on your writing. I've been doing that for more than a year now and i've made so much headway. although, i've only been on my present w.i.p. for the past three months.
and did you hit the nail on the old proverbial! you bet I want to connect, but i really wanted to hear what others do. I've learned so much in the past year I've been on this site. Invaluable stuff really.
no, not getting paid for anything right now.
I did start working on a short story for publication btw. so i agree with you about a secondary project. just hope it doesn't turn out to be a primary project!
I worked for 7 hours today-the adrenalin was shooting and I was flying.
writing, editing and writing and editing!
you see the reason I work so hard during the week now, is because all summer my husband drags me along to various commitments he has (which I don't like and resent)! hence, the feverish work cycle weekdays.
thanks for your reply, Dan!
I'll pay your assistant, but when will you next see me?!
let's talk rural! me too. yorkshire moors nearby and farmland next to our home. stick city! and me, from Manhattan!
Retirement can be depressing. Goodness knows, I certainly think back to jobs I had--I usually do that when I'm dressed in what I'm dressed in and writing! I mean where's the New York kid, clicking along on her high heels running up Madison AVenue?
so understand. one thing I wouldn't ever do was try to write if I felt down. you don't, do you?
can you get involved in some social thing? some organization--church related or not? political club? start a writer's group? , look up old murder cases--maybe in your State--see if you can write a non-fiction book? I'm serious. I would do that. I really would. or at least think about it. consider everything! and the one thing meant for you will show itself.
I love writing dialogue! was with North West Playwrights here--and loved it. but it didn't feel that real, something to continue for years, you know?
Look, 25 years ago, I was in a marriage that nearly killed me. it side tracked me (and afterwards) away from writing. so if I am gung ho now, I guess that's the reason.
Your experience is the opposite! you've been there and so on. So certainly, your approach is different. so understandable!
What do you enjoy doing? you're too intellingent and with your very active mind, you're feeling the inactivity--not good Dan. I get very down sometimes but at least I'm too busy now to think about it.
but I still get down here and there. I feel the distance sometimes from America too much. maybe.
just had an idea. we could start a group therapy session on here! although for me, all the discussions I put up are group therapy sessions!
just realized that! whoah!
the one thing Barb and I wouldn't agree on is the guy thing!
aside from that, she was some cool lady, great actress.
And that shot is from her in Double Indemnity btw. Where played the scheming, homicidal, femme fatale wife.
And why do I like it so much I might hear people ask?
answer: ;my first marriage!
i should really put up my own i.d. it's just i like the whole page of magic, it sets my mood when I start writing.
she did save all of Robert Taylor's love letters, they were married.
and when they were destroyed in a house fire she took it pretty badly (not that long before she died).
did you ever see Lady of Burlesque? she's a riot in that!
you sound very busy!
great. You're okay. lucky about never being sick. I had my share.
fruitcake first husband, ill mother I took care of for 12 years until she died--
in short, I was only on my own for three years before I met my second husband!
a lot of suffering before him, boy oh boy.
I think it's great to have goals and to feel the best years are ahead. that is so positive!
I feel that way too! but with me, I've been so down that it had to get better!
keep writing for pleasure. what a good thing, Dan. why not?
My husband laughs at me when I tell him if it wasn't for my book project, I'd be involved with amateur dramatics. I write good stage dialogue I'm told.
it would be fun. i'll do it too, when I finished the damned thing!
but from backstage. had a go on the stage--(not like the joke: one leaving in ten minutes stage coach)! i went to acting school and even auditioned for a show off broadway--it was fun, too. did some dancing also--nice respectable dancing with leotards and underwear and blouses!
Had a friend in Cabaret on Broadway (dancer)--but I wouldn't have made that! Knew my limitations!
anyway, the road we travel is full of turns and rocks sometimes. you stepped over yours, I tripped over mine and knocked some teeth out--might even had a concushion or two!
but it's looking good now (for both of us)! as you say, people die--things could be so much worse!
I try to think in terms of scenes and words when I write. So, when I'm going for a deadline, I want to do about 1500 words a day. Otherwise, 500 words is good for me. Sometimes that means eight hours, like you say, but I tend to keep it under four hours. Otherwise, I wind up with no life. By the way, I can't sustain the 1500 word pace for any more than a month. That probably has a lot to do with my NaNoWriMo training. For the last three years, I have done 50,000 words in November. Then I take a four week break and come back to it at a much slower pace. Bottom line - staying sane is not really an option. The best I can do is try to act sane for the sake of friends and family.
I try to act sane too. but they always find out! especially when the facade slips! maybe it's an unanticipated growl or something!
seriously, that does sound very sane to me, Paul
thanks for that! very measured, very coherent!
maybe i'll learn?!

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