The main problem for me, though, is when I don't blog, I don't write as much. Blogging is not only a way to have a constant flow of discreet, written entities that have a beginning, a middle and an end (thus ... they are FINISHED, DONE, AWAY!) but it's terrific warm-up for larger, ongoing efforts.
So, this is a "jumper cable post." The blog battery has been dead, the blog out on blocks in the yard and come spring, the weeds will start growing up through the engine unless I get rolling again. In the YA novel I'm working on, those poor kids have been stuck in a post-cyber war, dystopian setting for four years now (although it was "peak oil" back then. Cyber war gets the job done quicker, and it's lately been in the news quite a bit.) At least they were having horse-back riding lessons last time I peeked in.
When I blog, I move that situation along, as well. Stories are not meant to languish. A forgotten story is much like a neglected friend; for me, the relationship becomes full of self-recrimination and guilt. I don't have the spirit and hopefulness concerning my book when folks ask me about it, because I have let too much time pass. The main character floats before my eyes and asks questions like, "What's the last name of the homeless bike guy? What's my aunt's full name? What's my riding teacher's dog's name? Hmmmmmm????" I looked in on the book last week to write an ending for it as an exercise, and all I can say is, thank goodness I kept an Excel file of all the particulars. I am, though, "well-rebuked."
And I will be doomed to keep writing these, "Oh my, look how long it's been!" posts. Because the only person who cares, really, is me. If I want others to consider reading my writing, I have to write often and get it out there for folks to read, on purpose or by accident.
"Okay ... start it up!"
 |
| Jumper cables, anyone? |
I know what you mean about blogging helping writing... got to keep at it! I so love the idea of your story, and I really can't wait to read it...so just for my own satisfaction you must finish. :)
ReplyDeleteI left my characters jammed together in a high school media center for almost a year before I got up the energy to write them out of there. It's a surprise to me that they didn't all just rebel and leave me for a better writer (or at least a less neglectful one).
ReplyDeleteWriting is a muscle. If you don't exercise it, it will turn flabby and soft. That's when those adverbs (and back story) really creep in. Keep exercising those muscles, Ro!!