Today’s book launch party guest is author Debra Mullins (www.DebraMullins.com). Debra writes romances for Avon, and she is the author of more than 13 novels with a series in the works! (Debra once got an idea for one of her books from a dream, a story told in THINKING WRITE.) Her latest, Tempting a Proper Lady, is today’s giveaway– just leave a comment to be entered into the drawing!
Writing Through Adversity
By Debra Mullins
Non-writing people imagine that writers—especially romance writers—live in fancy estates or cottages by the sea or maybe even a castle somewhere, and that they have servants and a limo and maybe little white dogs in diamond-studded collars. Just watch the movie She Devil to see what I mean. Well, most of us are not like Dame Barbara Cartland or the fictional romance writer Mary Fisher from She Devil. Most of us live in regular homes with spouses and children and pets and our share of life crises.
In order to write, I need to be able to shut out the outside world. I have a busy life, with a demanding day job, a husband, kids, cats, and extended family. Add to that my writing life, which includes writing (of course), writing friends, RWA meetings and conferences. Throw in a little promotion—Twitter, Facebook, blogs—and things like judging contests and critiquing other writers’ works, and my calendar is quite full. So when something in my life goes awry, it completely upsets my apple cart.
Some writers can take solace in their work, dive into the pages and shut out whatever is bugging them. Not me. I have the mind of a multi-tasker, so while part of my brain is trying to write the book, another part is still fretting about whatever thing happened to shake up my world. It could be a disagreement with someone—a friend or one of my kids—or it could be a health issue, or bad news that I just can’t shake. If I can’t concentrate, the writing eludes me, so days like this really make it hard to get my pages done.
Sometimes I am able to muscle through, and other days I throw up my hands and go watch TV.
I am so envious of writers who can lose themselves in their work when life is going crazy. I so want to be able to do that, but it is a skill I am still learning. This is where structure can come in handy. I’m pretty much an organic writer. I write from the gut and seem to instinctively know where the story needs to go. However, when my gut is churning with some stressful emotion, it completely throws off my radar, and I am lost in the woods. This is when I pull out the dreaded turning points outline or the hero’s journey questionnaire or my storyboard and approach the book from another angle. These act as writing prompts for me and distract my brain enough to get it interested in the book again. Only then am I able to set aside the disruption of the day and get down to work.
I’m interested in knowing how other writers work through adversity. What do you do when your muse is in a funk?
Hi Debra!
Thanks for a great post. This is an important issue for writers because *life happens* and everyone is usually dealing with something all the time that can impact their writing. This is why it is important, and something I stress in TIME TO WRITE, that authors take full advantage of those days when writing time is available to you because you just never know when that time will get disrupted by something else.
During periods of adversity, I try to use that energy to continue with my work, or, if I simply cannot write one day, I will at least touch my writing by editing, reading a craft book, or reviewing my goals in order to regain focus. I think it’s a constant ebb and flow between dipping deeply into the art and then managing real, day to day life at the same time, and it isn’t always easy to do.
Can’t wait to hear what others do! Thanks for being here today!
~Kelly
I force myself to write. Even if I’m not feeling it and the writing is horrible, I still force myself to start typing. But if I just can’t get a sentence or scene right, I might read an author I like to get inspiration. Or if one book is giving me fits, I might move over to another book. The change often helps, especially since I write in different genres.
Thanks for your comment Lori!
Hi Debra and Kelly,
I have an autoimmune issue called Fibromyalgia. It causes horrible fatigue, generalized pain and brain fog. Writing when I have a severe flare (like right now) is next to impossible.
Kelly’s advice to write whenever possible is right on. Just before this latest flare hit, I managed to write over 35 manuscript pages.
When I’m feeling crummy, I’ll read, or jot the occasional note to myself for later.
Debra, I envy your ability to be an “organic” writer. I have to have a road map or I go off on a rabbit trail with my plot, write myself into corners or forget my plot all together. LOL!
Fibromyalgia can be so debilitating. Thanks for your comment.
Cinthia, I applaud your determination to write as much as possible when your health allows. You’re truly inspiring!
Hi, Debra!
Great post. I’m in awe. You have so much going on, yet you continue to produce amazing books! It’s truly inspiring…
Thanks for stopping by Deanna!
Thanks, Deanna. It became a matter of priority for me. The other elements of my life would easily edge out writing if I let them, so it’s really important to me to set aside time for my writing, even if that time is at 5am. When I write first thing in the morning, it’s like I’m telling my subconscious that writing is important. When I get my pages done, I’m in a great mood for the rest of the day.
Hi Debra~
This is a really important topic and I thank you for raising it. I can usually coax myself or bribe myself into sitting down to write when I not in the mood. Compartmentalizing problems and promising myself that I will focus on them with full attention at a later time is also a method that works for me. Sometimes use my writing as a purposeful escape from life, much as readers read romance as an escape from life’s woes.
I will sometimes use the filing cabinet technique– visualize all issues/problems getting locked temporarily into a metal cabinet. Sometimes it helps.
Thanks for your comment Jenna.
Hey, Jenna! I so envy you the ability to do that. When I’m in emotional turmoil, it seems to block my writing, though once I get going, I am able to put my troubles behind me.
Thanks to other posters for their tips–I’m a shocker when it comes to this, I just want to curl up and watch meaningless TV. I’ve found the only thing I can really do is change my writing location-go to a café, etc–and write there. I do it with an internet-free PC or by writing by hand, otherwise I’ll just surf mindlessly
Cinthia, I really feel for you. I have Hashinoto’s, and until it was diagnosed, I was in such a brain fog that I had no creative ideas *whatsoever*. That was much worse than the associated pain and fatigue. Well done on getting those 35 pages donw, and I hope you get a break soon.
Thanks for your comment Gabrielle. I have found that changing locations will help me, too.
Thanks, Gabrielle!
Hopefully, you’re on the road to recovery. Best thing to do is REST, listen to your body. It’s amazing how just by resting, your brain will kick in and you can accomplish a lot more than anticipated. I’ve found that writing notes in a little “moleskine” type book I carry everywhere helps me to remember things I’ve thought of for my books.
Gabrielle, I find myself compelled to watch NCIS or Buffy/Angel marathons when I can’t write. I started holding those treats out as a reward for writing for X number of minutes. By the time the minutes passed, I had usually found my way in the book!
This is an issue I’m still trying to work through myself. Having Terminix come do the annual termite inspection throws me off for the whole day.
One thing I do that helps is group several appointments, errands, doctor appointments, or contractors/tradespeople on the same day. Or I’ll save up phone calls I need to make and call everyone on the same day. That way, I free up other days just to write (assuming no new distraction comes up, which it frequently does).
Great suggestion! Thanks Shauna!
I often fight the brain fog from blood sugars gone wrong. It can mess with my whole day. Funny, cause I’m actually blogging about distractability on PFHT on Monday, LOL. Great minds think alike and all those other cliches!
Hey Shauna! Thanks for visiting. You’ve got some great ideas on how to make the most of your time without compromising your writing time. I’m writing this tip down…
Gabrielle, you are the winner of today’s giveaway! congrats!!
I find reading, researching, studying markets, reading forums, any ‘writing related’ work is helpful when my muse takes a vacation. At least that way I feel as if I am still accomplishing something towards my writing goals!
This is a great topic! Normally I am a very disciplined writer. I can write an average of 10 pages during my daughter’s 2 hour nap. But lately, I’ve struggled with writing since the birth of my son in December. I lost my confidence and motivation. I second guessed myself and my desire to become published (even though it is something I’ve wanted since I was a child.) With all those doubts, I posted something on Facebook to my writer friends. The one response I consistently received? Just write. It sounds so simple, but when you won’t even read a book because it reminds you of writing (sad, right?) then “just” writing isn’t so easy.
I had a wonderful friend (who is published) say just the right words. She said the baby changed my focus, not my ability to write. She reminded me it isn’t the end of my writing ambitions and that I needed to re-discover the time to focus on my writing. She told me to just find 15 minutes and write anything. It didn’t even have to be for my manuscript.
It sounds silly, but her kind words felt like I was getting permission to slowly return to my manuscript. I didn’t need to jump right in and be where I was before my son arrived. I could take some time ramping up. So, in this instance, I was able to get back to things thanks to our generous and caring writing community. And since I posted my FB question 2 weeks ago, I am just one scene and a few edits away from sending out my WIP to my beta readers! I’ll always be thankful for the support I’ve received.
Oh, Deb, I know exactly what you mean. I try to get out of the house. I find a new location puts my brain in writing gear. Plus it has the added benefit of making me unavailable to those (kids/husband) who might cause me to become even more distracted. I have to admit there are days when I let myself be easily distracted… still working on that.
Thanks for a great post!