Well, here's a writer's quandary, you could even call it an occupational disease. The limbo state of being. Yes, it's real. It's not fun. It's sometimes painful. It's never easy. At least for me it's not. I'm referring to the time between novels. All of you writers feel this from time to time. In fact, readers may experience it. It's when I don't know what to write next. There. I've said it. I'm like a kid in the candy store, my sweet tooth is crying out to grab one of EVERYTHING! I want to write one of EVERYTHING!
Ideas keep bouncing around in my head. I'd love to write a book about pirates and sunken treasure, aye, aye, matey. Or puzzles. I love mysteries with puzzles in them. Secret codes, ciphers, oodles and oodles of conundrums. You must solve the puzzle or die!!! And then there's history. How about an archaeologist, a female Indiana Jones who's discovered the remains of an ancient civilization, or a priceless artifact that opens the portal to another world. Oh boy, here's venturing into fantasy. Or maybe I'll write a psychological thriller. Woman goes mad, can't remember who she is, and the one who helps her? Well, he's already dead, but she doesn't know. Ergh! It's insane. And of course the list keeps piling up!
But I can't stop there. Oh, no. I worry about what will work. What am I most passionate about? What will keep me up nights? Writing, thinking, plotting. I want to know! I think about what will readers enjoy reading. Yeah, yeah. I hear you. All those who say I shouldn't care so much about what readers are reading and what sells. But come on! Get real. You can't really take that detail out of the equation. Sharing the stories you write is part of the joy in writing. It is very much to me.
So, what will I do, which will I choose? Maybe I need to think about it a bit longer. And while I'm deciding I have to pay attention to what I do have in print. Yes. A marketing I will go ... author visits, promotions, social media, on and on. So many hats, so, so many.
Bottom line? I'll take it. The worries, the headache of indecision, the sleepless nights planning and plotting, the endless task of promoting. I'll take it all because I LOVE it. I love what I do.
Eh-hem. Speaking of promotion, if anyone reading this is interested in winning a free hardback copy of Dean Koontz' latest thriller, Ashley Bell, go visit my author website and either register or click on the guestbook page and leave a comment. I will add you to the list of entries. My way of saying thanks to all the wonderful readers out there!
Here's the link: Kathryn Long Author
Happy reading and writing, all!
How many times has someone told you that you're overdoing it, you should take a break, or give it a rest? When I was very young, my mom would say, "quit running it into the ground". I often wonder if in a way, even though she'd hardly intend to do so, that common response squelched my spirit of enthusiasm. Nah, I was too stubborn, too energetic and willful to let that ever happen!
All of this brings me to my point. Is there, are there, times when "too much" isn't part of the equation? I strongly believe so. Let's say you're a musician, you play an instrument, or at least may be learning to play. You practice, and practice, and practice until your entire family is shoving earplugs into their ears. Far be it that any loving and nurturing parent would take away that instrument and toss it in the trash! Not cool to do that. All the practicing has a point, right? It's obvious. You play to get better, to achieve the best skills. Hopefully, you enjoy doing so. Musicians, artists, athletes, and yes, writers strive to be the best. It's a process, a very, very long process, hard work, dedication, and let's throw passion in there. I mean, why would you ever spend so much time with something like this, if you aren't passionate? Otherwise, it sounds like a whole lot of misery taking up so much of your time.
So when anybody dares to tell you you're overdoing it, you should take a break or give it a rest, don't listen. IF this is your passion ... music, art, sports, writing, keep it up! For me, writing brings me the utmost joy. I revel in the process, I rejoice in the accomplishment. As the quote says it best (paraphrased to suit me) "writing completes me". And mom, if you're listening, I can't stop running it into the ground. But I think for this you'll excuse me. After all, you were one of my biggest supporters!
