After staring at this screen for I don't know how many minutes, I still don't have much of anything to write about. It was frustrating because I wanted to update my blog and readers, but it was like my brain wanted to take a vacation for the time being. And that in itself gave me an idea for something to talk about.Writing under pressure.
I often feel it when I sit down to write a new story. No, on second thought, I often feel more pressure working on the Crystal O'Mally mystery series because I worry what people will think about the book. Will they like it? Will it be rejected on account it didn't meet the expectations set by the first novel? The pressure to crank out 'the perfect novel' is sometimes so overwhelming, I find myself sitting and staring at the blinking cursor or getting up and doing another activity until the pressure passes.
Those aren't the only ways I cope with pressure. Sometimes, if I'm still in the mood to work on something, I put that particular novel aside and work on something else. Whether it's a short story or another book, I try to keep the creative juices flowing. And another thing I have to remember is there's no need to feel pressure, especially when writing the Crystal O'Mally books, because each and every book is different and if they were all the same, they'd all be boring. Just some food for thought.
So how about you? How do you manage with pressure when it comes pestering you as you're writing?
I often feel the same way when I know my blog needs to be done, but my brain is out to lunch. It seems the more pressure that I feel, the more I sit and stare at the "screen". When that happens, I go for a walk. Sun or rain doesn't matter. Fifteen minutes outside always seems to work.
ReplyDeleteAs for your mystery series, you never have to worry. You are a fantastic writer.