[For previous blogs please visit “blog archive” to the lower left of this screen.]
I often (but not always) have music streaming from my living room while writing. When I wrote the toughest chapter in my book I had a hard time finding the right feel for it. I tried silence, music, open windows, closed windows, heat, no heat, tried writing in the morning, evening, and middle of the night. Nothing. It wasn’t writer’s block. The chapter was written but it wasn’t right. It was the wrong feel for what I knew I wanted. I found it finally with The Rolling Stones, Singles Collection, The London Years. I set my MP3 Player on my Bose (I now have an iPod with an incredible storage capacity so that I never have to fiddle with music when I’m writing), came in here, sat down, and immediately the chapter changed. I can hardly remember how it came about but later when I sat back down to read it I almost died. It was scary and horrific and disgusting and frightening and sick and vulgar and outrageous and over the top and foul--and exactly what I wanted. (I like the effect of run-on sentences.)
If you haven’t read my little story, borrow it from a friend or find it on line (it’s at all the major bookstores-no kidding) and read it. You will know the chapter I’m talking about. BEWARE. The chapter is scary and some people have had nightmares (I love that). Legal disclaimer: The Stones did not drive me to write depraved material. They simply zapped my brain and that’s all I needed.
If you have a spouse, family members, a roommate, neighbors, and friends, you must explain that when you are writing you hope to be left alone while you are at the computer. In the beginning everyone just falls all over themselves assuring you they are right behind you, they won’t make a peep, they think it’s fantastic, just let them know if there’s anything they can get for you like coffee, or any errands to run, or they will go to the movies so you can have peace and quiet, and you won’t hear a peep out of them. Honest.
After a few weeks they whine and complain and call you and leave voicemails saying things like “you are always writing that stupid book.” They are sick of the fourteen wine glasses and six coffee cups in the sink and the dog’s water bowl is empty and you never want to go to lunch anymore and you haven’t called them in forever and you never want to meet anyone for coffee anymore and how long is this stupid book going to take. I could go on (believe me) but you get the point. You have to make them leave you alone. Nothing pops the creativity bubble more than someone complaining there’s no food in the house. Did Tolstoy have to stop and go to the grocery store? By the way, unlike the humans in your life, dogs do need you to stop writing and take them for a walk, feed them, and make sure they have water, pet them, tell them they are the best dog, you love them, and give them treats. The humans are on their own.
Before we move on to the next session let me just reiterate regarding my previous comments on childbirth/writing/publishing: writing and publishing a book, if done properly, is absolutely the thrill of a lifetime. I often Google my name and it comes up everywhere (go ahead, try it!). It is not an ego thing. It’s like watching your children travel throughout the world. The other day it popped up at a site in India. INDIA! I don’t think anyone has purchased it in India, but it’s there. I can’t tell you what a rush that is to see it everywhere. I found it in Japan! In France! In the UK! It’s on eBay! This doesn’t mean it’s actually selling in all these fabulous places but it makes the heart go pitter patter to see it literally all over the world. The fact that the book cover is breathtakingly beautiful helps a great deal let me tell you (thank you, Mylette). Who wouldn’t want that lovely book sitting on a coffee table? So if that’s how you see YOUR story, go for it because I did and now it’s out there!
So we’ve covered beverages, computers, research tools, music, the potential enemy pool made up of family and friends, and the incredible thrill of what’s to come. You have begun. Next week I will share just a few tips to help process the pages and cover editing.
www.sharonstrawhandgarner.com
[No part of this content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.]
