The WordPress dashboard tells me I have exactly 100 posts on my blog now. Yay, me. Congratulate me on my milestone. I guess that makes this post #101.
Sigh. I’m still feeling very unsettled in the wake of Eldest Son’s departure to university, especially after investigating flight costs and realizing it would cost something like $400 after taxes and surcharges to bring him home for Canadian Thanksgiving (usually around October 10th). And the flight is under an hour! Holy price-gouging, Batman. E.S. said when we parted that he was fully prepared not to come home until Christmas, and you can bet I’m springing the bucks for that two-week holiday. But two nights? We shall see… (In the event you all think I’m heartless, I do have a friend in his university town with two kids he grew up with who would ensure he was well taken care of).
Just before leaving to take E.S. to university, I wrapped up a chapter on the WIP that left me firmly in the middle of the book with a major turning point and a hook. You’d think the next chapter and scene would be a breeze to write, then, huh? Um, not so much. I have a lot of fast-drafted scenes for this story, and I’ve spent the last couple of days (after re-reading those first 12 chapters to plant my brain in the story again) physically moving the drafted scenes around in the manuscript, trying to strike the right balance between plot, mystery, development of romance, and characterization. I think what I’ve moved makes sense, and it’s time to begin revising the first of the two transferred scenes and see if I’m right.
Often, when I begin a new chapter or even a new scene, I walk around in a haze for a day or two, during which I feel super-anxious. I know the brain is churning, and in a way I can actually feel it churning. The churning is the anxiety (some might call it creativity). Right behind my forehead. Agh! Every time this happens, I curse my writing process, but I shouldn’t curse it, I should embrace it. It appears I need to go through the churning in order to successfully write and plot the next few scenes. I often blame this process on Elle Muse, because she’s the one standing inside my head laughing at my bruised forehead! However, she’s also the one doing all the work right now.
And you thought being a writer was all fun and games. Think again. It’s freakin’ hard work.
Well, there you go. I’ve begun a new chapter of my life with E.S. leaving home, and I’m beginning not only a new chapter of my WIP but a new direction, thanks to that major turning point. Wish me luck. For the next week or so, I’m pretty sure I’ll need it.
There’s a good article in the Sept RWR about “existential depression” and re-focusing when something brings you down. I thought of lots of ways I could apply the info in there. Check it out. And call your son a lot. 🙂
Thanks, Avery, that issue arrived just the other day, but I’ve been too busy to scan it yet. I’ll keep an eye out for the article. As for calling my son, “back in the day” we had a floor phone that the parents could call and hope the kid was present, but you could always leave messages. Now there’s cell phones, and I don’t want to use up my son’s minutes. But you gave me the bright idea to buy him a top-up card and mail it to him. Then I can call once a week and hear his voice. I think that will help a lot.
Plane tickets are UNBELIEVABLE! I just made my reservation for Christmas (to go from Austin to Rhode Island where I grew up) and it was close to $600!! It used to be $200-250.
Yes, embrace your writing process. Whatever you’re doing though seems to be working. Good luck!
At least you’re going a fair distance, Lexi. The flight to get my son home for Xmas is **under an hour long**. It’s a flight **within my province**. Granted, provinces are larger than states, LOL. The airline has seat sales, but of course not at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
As for my writing process, the first scene I moved, on closer examination didn’t work. I drafted a new scene, though. Still needs lots of revision, which I will think about while I’m cleaning the workshop today.
Can’t he drive home, Cindy? I always found people to hook up with for the 14-hour drive home for holidays when I was in college, even though I didn’t have a car on campus myself.
Stupid oil companies. They are, of course, the reason for the increase in flight costs. Though it’s also cheaper the earlier you buy, so maybe you should get his tickets for next year now! LOL
Hi, Natalie,
You know, I’ve gone nearly a week now, and the Empty Nest Syndrome is settling down, thank God. He might be able to do as you say. I’ll let him decide after he has his new schedule under control.
Our mid-province flights have always been expensive for Thanksgiving and Christmas – don’t know why I was surprised. It’s when it LOOKS inexpensive and then you tack on the taxes and dozens of surcharges that are as much as the flight. Tricky advertising…
I’m pretty certain EVERYTHING about the writing process is a mystery. Otherwise we’d ALL be multi-published NYT best sellers by now. But then half the fun of writing is working through all that hard stuff and having that Aha moment when it all comes together. IMHO.
You’re so right, Teresa.