Happy 2015! Only about three weeks late…
This month has been absolutely amazing in more ways than one, including that I’ve rekindled my motivation. That’s right, yesterday I spent almost the entire day cozied up on the couch and ended up editing over 6,000 words. I really do love to write, and I really love editing too. The problem is that I get so caught up in my head, anticipating all the work that’s left to do, that I end up running. Fortunately, this month running has been visiting beautiful and historical parts of Europe, and reading. A lot. Both of these, it turns out, are great for inspiration.
I’m on my fourth book of the year and each one has been wildly different from the last. I love that. I have a tendency to get really caught up in one genre for months at a time (read: chick-lit or murder mysteries), which can make writing difficult. If I read too much of one author, I find I end up imitating their voice. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can get awkward when I’ve switched genres and suddenly the voice of everything I wrote over the past eight weeks seems awkward and out of place. So it’s wonderful that this year I’ve gone from mystical/historical fiction, to modern-day psychological thriller, to pop-culture romance, to historical detective. I really need to keep this up.
As for my writing…
Well, it’s always a blow to the ego to go back to a first draft. When I’m having a day where writing feels like struggling through cement I tell myself “just keep going. This probably won’t seem so bad when you come back to it.” Sadly, this is rarely true. A lot, and I mean A LOT, of this draft is going to have to go. And I’m not going to be able to get it all on this first go-through. I’m starting to come to terms with that. But it turns out that writing is really fun. And I’m getting back to the point where I don’t mind the work. It’s also an excellent time of year for it. On a day like today when the air is thick with fog and no one in their right mind would want to be outside, there’s nothing better than getting in some solid swings on this novel of mine.
I should probably go do that now. But I’m feeling good guys. 2015 is gonna be good.
Tell me all about what you’re up to in the comments!
— Amy
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.