Thanks to the goodness and brilliance of my CP, Marieke, (and the subsequent input of a handful of other CPs, love you ladies) I have a gorgeous new query for ONE, so I spent this morning sending a third query flurry. So. This post will be short.
(That's supposed to be me, sending off a query flurry.
Yep. I look just like that. Right now.)
So. When I was smack-dab in the middle of drafting ONE, I blogged about it. The feeling. That surge of affection you get for your work-in-progress that drives you to stay up late, wake up early, and keep your butt glued to your desk chair during your lunch break just to get in a couple hundred more words.
Sometimes, it just happens. Yesterday, I thought of a particularly awesome line from the original Bible story I'm retelling in my WiP, that takes on a completely new meaning and yet means EXACTLY THE SAME THING in Chrome, and OMG you guys. Seriously. I wanted to write for hours. (Of course, I was elbow-deep in dishes and laundry, but what can you do?)
Other times, though, you have to push The Feeling. I know that when I'm in need of a writing boost, there are a few things that help me. One is listening to the soundtrack. The other is taking a moment to revisit the themes, characters, and lines I most love about the WiP. Almost always, taking a look at photos of my characters helps.
I mean, seriously. Look at these beautiful people and just TELL ME you don't want to write something about them.
So, sweet readers, please tell me - in your writing and/or reading universe, what brings on The Feeling? Tell me, so I can maybe add it to my bag of tricks!
Usually I'm in a bookshop, looking at all the hardbacks and paperbacks thinking "Damn, I want my book to be here too!"
ReplyDeleteThat gets me writing!
I usually have no problem with WiP love while I'm in the writing stages. The moment I get that first scene in my head where I'm thinking I HAVE TO WRITE THIS DOWN, it's pretty much love from then on - until I start getting crit back, and those initial query rejections. And THEN I start questioning how I ever thought I could write something decent, and putting my work down, and convincing myself it sucks. But in the drafting phase, when it's only mine, that's my WiP honeymoon.
ReplyDeleteUsually, finding the right song or thinking up a perfect scene does it for me. The only problem I have now is that I keep listening to songs/thinking up scenes for my other books instead of the one I'm on. >.<
ReplyDeleteOf course, a character I really want to write can do that for me, too. For TN it was Rory (okay really it was half the characters, not just Rory), for ALEX it was Miles, and luckily for EW I have Jasper.
I think knowing the themes and maybe having a few concrete lines for the characters to say would really help, but I'm not even sure what the themes are yet. (It's weird, because I know exactly what they are in the superhero story, and I've had that one in my head for like the tiniest fraction of the time I've had EW in here.) Ah well. Maybe motivation will strike as I'm revising!
YAAAY Query Flurry!!! *waves pompoms* GO ONE GO!!!
ReplyDeleteAs for THAT feeling... um, everywhere? Sentences, sights, sounds, smells. Whenever an idea has really taken root in my brain, it's a filter through which I see the world and pretty much everything can spark the INEEDTOWRITENOW feeling. Though words and music are the best combination, for sure. <3
hmm I haven't had The Feeling in awhile, but when I get working on my WIP I can't help but be proud of what I have. that's enough for me for now :)
ReplyDeleteThis is great. I love those moments of inspiration. All I need is a quiet morning to get my creative juices flowing. Morning is always best for me. By the end of the day, when a lot of people write, I'm spent from the noise and stress of the day.
ReplyDeleteBut in the morning, my mind is uncluttered and my characters wait for me to push them into action!
Hi, just hopped over from Hope's blog. I love your character pictures. I'm actually co-hosting a blog hop this month that's all about posting pictures of your characters and songs from the 'soundtrack.' You should check it out. :)
ReplyDeleteBanned complain !! Complaining only causes life and mind become more severe. Enjoy the rhythm of the problems faced. No matter ga life, not a problem not learn, so enjoy it :)
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