The awesome co-hosts this month are Stephen Tremp, Karen Walker, Denise Covey, and Tyrean Martinson!
More, more, more!
I am hounded by this voice in my head that tells me I'm not writing enough. I need to get more books out there. I need to write better faster. And I need to do it now!
The voice makes me highly anxious. It gives me stressful writer work dreams. So much editing and marketing! So much to do, so little time. Where is that mind jack I can plug into my head and pour my stories right into the computer? My fingers don't move fast enough. My eyes are old and tired.
I've got to write more!
I know reasonably this isn't realistic. We all write at different paces, and we have limited time to write. But the nag beats down my reason and demands I write, write, write!
Anyone else harassed by this voice? What do you do to ease that anxiety?
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Don't forget about TB Markinson's monthly book giveaway. You can win five awesome books, and this month, one of them is The 13th Floor Complete Collection. Also, the Mayhem in the Air tour is going on this week and into the next. You can get exclusive excerpts from the stories in the collections and enter for a chance to win a $40 gift card. Finally, Realms Faire 2015 begins on Monday. Shine your armor and fill your mugs! Tons of medieval games, giveaways, and grog. I'll be hosting the Drench-a-Wench event. There will be a giveaway every day of a minimum four books for you to win.
Hi Christine - I'd guess you leave the rest of us standing ... and you seem to be so organised in your approach. Good luck to writing lots more ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI think you have done amazingly so far, anyway - you've certainly left me in the dust in the last few years in terms of productivity. But yes, we're our own worst critics, so maybe you don't always feel that way!
ReplyDeleteI totally understand! I hear this voice as well and it drives me crazy and keeps me up at night. But I think we both need to step back and see how much we've accomplished. Most who say they want to write never finish their first book and you've published many projects. Well done!
ReplyDeleteWell, if you're not getting enough out there, the rest of us don't stand a chance! If I only I were so productive as you!
ReplyDeleteShah X
shahwharton.com
Me too, MORE. :)
ReplyDeleteAs long as you're writing, that's enough. It's better to go slower and create a better story. I am such a slow writer that I've just had to accept it.
ReplyDeleteYou already produce books and stories at a fast rate. Tell that voice to shut the heck up!
ReplyDeleteOh, I hear you! And I hear that voice, too. I still struggle with what exactly is "enough" for me, how much "more" will get me there, etc. Keep working on it - we'll get there! :)
ReplyDeleteI much rather prefer the mantra, more, more, more when it comes to writing than selling. That part I won't even discuss. I can write, I love to write, it's that other monster on my shoulder that weighs me down. Well, if I let it. This month, I'm not letting it. I'm writing - more! In the groove with NaNo!
ReplyDeleteI do not like that little voice. Especially since it seems to ignore the fact I have a day job and other chores to do. I try to ignore it and work at my own pace.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, that voice pesters me all the time. MUST. WRITE. MOAR!!!!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck! If anyone can do it, you can. You're one of the most productive writers I know!
My writing is at a complete standstill. And there's nothing I can do about it right now. I wish my only problem was procrastination and BICHOK. :(
ReplyDeleteIWSG #115 until Alex culls the list again
I'm editing/writing right now and that voice is screaming at me.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, I have to take a break. I do my best to write everyday but I have to say that at this moment, I read more hours than I write.
ReplyDeleteShalom,
Patricia
I hate this voice. It nags me all the time and won't shut up. Even when I tell it to go crawl back under its rock.
ReplyDeleteI've been struggling with this voice a lot lately. I write fast, but not enough, and never seem to be writing the right genre, either. I'm working on trying to shut it out of my writing space!
ReplyDeleteYup. I hear that voice and frequently have to tell it to shush. I've got enough on my plate. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have a mindjack like that. My biggest struggle is trying to get the story I see in my mind's eye onto the page. Anything that would bypass that part of the process would be a godsend.
ReplyDeleteUgh, I know. I'm not a fast writer, and yet everyone says you should be putting out a book every 4-6 months if you want to increase sales and readership. I can't help thinking quality suffers if you're just churning stuff out, but then I'm told quantity trumps quality these days and readers aren't that picky. Really? I feel like such "wisdom" is a discredit to the readers. Yes, everyone writes at different paces. I keep trying to remind myself of that, tell myself I'm a good writer no matter what and I'll find my readers regardless of how often I produce.
ReplyDeleteThank you, everyone. I'm glad I'm not alone in being pestered by this voice. I have the same internal debate about quantity and quality. I am generally a pretty fast writer, and I wouldn't publish anything I didn't think was awesome, but the urge to be even faster is powerful.
ReplyDeleteI love that voice of yours, saying: "...write better faster." I should adopt it too. My voice is different. It keeps whispering: "You're not good enough."
ReplyDeleteI have an inner drive to write, but never been driven by voices. Not sure what this means. Sorry. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from Elements of Writing
Yes. I'm constantly nagged by that voice, and I have dreams about ghosts and haunted houses all the time. I wonder if the two are related.
ReplyDeleteOh.My.Gosh. I've got the same jack-ass trampling through my thoughts. NEVER enough time. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about re-writes, the dedication page, I'm not doing enough marketing. Then I switch over to cleaning out my kitchen drawers which haven't been done since, well, ever. My priority list has too many things at the top.
ReplyDeleteYou nailed it...I'm with you on that one...
Yes! I have to ignore it. One of the reason why I decided not to jump into NANO this year. I'm still working on a rewrite but I soooooooooo wanted to write something new. It's nice to know there's a backlist. =)
ReplyDeleteDon't give that voice and caffeine!
ReplyDeleteYou get in great word counts! Just tell that voice to be quiet. I get that way too (we probably all do). With me, it's the new balance of writing AND marketing. I think I'm starting to get there :)
ReplyDeleteYou're doing great, Christine. I wish I had your mind energy! But I can understand the thought of wanting to get your stories written and done with.
ReplyDeleteMarketing is my pet peeve and book sales.
I can also understand when you have a time slot to write and you're trying to get in as much as possible. Take it one day at a time, life is too short to rush it.
Hi Christine,
ReplyDeleteThat voice of yours needs to understand that it's all about balance and a schedule that's conducive to you and your overall well being.
Thankfully, I'm under no pressure because I write when I feel like it. If I'm not in the mood, I never force it because that would seem to be an unnatural flow.
Happy writing and you look after YOU! :)
Gary
Hi Christine. Your writing work ethic is inspirational! To say the least.Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteDenise Covey November co-host IWSG
Pace yourself grasshopper, lol. The works will come.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know that nag's voice. She's currently tied up in the trunk of my car.
ReplyDeleteStephen Tremp
November 2015 IWSG Co-host
I can definitely relate to thinking I should write more. When I get anxious about it, I look at the facts. From a brief perusal of your website, you have at least 2-3 published books, read 80 (wow) books this year so far, and are raising lovely children? Sounds like you are enough. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh yes all the time. I can't quiet it either. The fact that I have so many story ideas doesn't help. I guess it could be worse the voice that says give up could be the stronger one, lol.
ReplyDeleteLordy, lordy that voice never shuts up--Sometimes it is paralyzing, which reading your post makes think I may be suffering from a bit that this last year, or make that the last 4 years in various degrees. Question is how do I release the shackles that hold me back for 2016? If I never finish then I can not fail mine and others expectations right? Even survival has not motivated me to push past it all. What's a girl to do?
ReplyDeleteJuneta Writer's Gambit
PLEASE don't feel alone in this! Who has not been here, where you are? It comes and goes, luckily it doesn't STICK, so keep your chin up and go go go girl!!!
ReplyDeleteI hear that voice too, which is sometimes a good thing and sometimes a bad thing. It'll be years until my queue is finally empty!
ReplyDeleteI think we always feel like we should be writing more, no matter how often we write. All we can do is try to get words on paper each day! (Or on computer, as the case may be!)
ReplyDeleteThank you to everyone who commented and offered encouragement and advice. You guys are why IWSG is awesome! :)
ReplyDelete