I still haven't gotten my writing groove back. I've been good with not sitting in front of the computer so much. I get up, move around, and do other things around the house. While my back has appreciated it, my muse is pouting.
I think she's spoiled.
So I'm trying to think of getting her what she needs in other ways.
I've been painting the interior of the house since the beginning of the summer. I finished the kitchen walls and the cupboards. I've started on the hall and did one of the walls in the living room. Scraping off old wallpaper is rough on the back, so I've just been taking it easy when it comes to that.
While I enjoy painting, it isn't totally fulfilling for my muse. She needs words.
Recently, I've taken up the mantle of Dungeon Master with my gaming group. We've started The Rise of Tiamat. This is proving to be the creative outlet I need in many ways. I've made puppets for the first council session since I had to play ten characters for it, and I've created personal quests with each of the player characters' backgrounds. I beefed up the very basic story in the book and created loot cards for randomly picking treasure when it's found. My muse is squealing with delight!
I don't do any of this sitting at the computer. That has helped a lot. But it has made my productivity with novel writing slow down greatly. This frustrates me as a writer even if my muse is happy just to lose herself in the D&D world.
Being a writer is my job. I must find the balance between my other creative outlets, my health, and doing work. I want to push myself to be the author I dream of being.
I've read a ton of articles. Every one of them repeats: set boundaries, create a schedule, turn off social media, etc. I'm sure many of you have heard the same things. None of that helps me when my body makes every day different.
I ran across one quote that struck a cord.
I've said it before, I am my own worst boss. I push myself hard. I've gotten a little better, a little kinder. But my inner boss demands more than is reasonable. I want to be a highly productive writer, but I need to loosen the fierce grip I have on that dream. I need to take care of myself and my family, and while that includes nurturing my dream, I need to be kinder yet. That doesn't mean to give up. It just means finding other ways as I did with my creative outlets.
I'm working on it. It's no easy thing for me. Perhaps one day, what I want and what I need will merge together as one.
How do you balance what you want and what you need?
A spoiled muse? That sounds dangerous. XD
ReplyDeleteAnd glad to hear your gaming group has turned into such a fun outlet of creativity for you! That's awesome how none of it requires a computer. (Am always eager to limit my computer time, too, but still be productive.) Even though this has slowed down novel-writing for you, breaks like this are sometimes what we need to recharge.
And gosh, yes, know too well what it's like to be too hard on yourself. It took me a long time to quiet my own inner boss down just enough to practice some self-care. I hope you continue to be kind to yourself, while still achieving your dreams in the process!
Definitely we need to be kinder to ourselves and recharge. Our inner bosses should have a meeting!
DeleteWise words.
ReplyDeleteIf you're the DM, that means a ton of writing and research and planning. Run with it. That work will help you later with actual book writing.
Thank you, Alex. I did a ton of prepping for the game, and funny thing, just like my own characters in my head, my players went off in a total different direction! *LOL*
DeleteWe sometimes need breaks, and it sounds like your muse is doing what it needs to do. I know you'll get back to writing your novels, even if it's taking longer than you'd hoped.
ReplyDeleteMy inner boss is throwing a fit about it, though. *LOL* Wants me to work Saturdays!
DeleteI sometimes paint (abstract) when the writing isn't working for me.
ReplyDeleteThis past summer I was frustrated at my inability to sit and write because kids were home and the husband was home on sabbatical and we were traveling a lot and then I got sick... So I fee your pain! But when I did finally sit and get back into it, the build up made it easier to write, so that was good.
I find it difficult to write with other people in the house too. Wonderful that you're back to it!
DeleteYour muse is happy, your health sounds like it's improving, you're paying attention to your actual AND creative life. Hang in there, Christine! Everything will work out the way it's meant to. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Madeline!
DeleteThat's a great quote! I played D&D for a brief period of time when I was in high school, but never since then. I think it would be fun to give it another go as an adult.
ReplyDeleteIt's totally fun! The oldest guy in our group is 55 and the youngest is 25 (being one of the other guys' nephew). We all turn into 12-year-olds playing. It's so much fun!
DeleteHi Christine - it does sound as though your health is improving ... and that will help, while your muse is storing creative ideas away for future use. Good luck - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hilary! :)
DeleteThat's a tough one--arguing with your inner boss while staying happy. I'm self-indulgent in that area, willing to pursue whatever creative venue I feel most inclined to, so I'd say rah-rah for D&D since it's cheering up your muse.
ReplyDeleteAs of today, my balance is way off track. Still working to get to where I want to be and the where the world keeps putting me. But I trust that soon I'll figure it out. :)
ReplyDeleteWishing you health, wealth, and happiness!
I have the same problem and I've been struggling with finding the right balance between reality and writing. So frustrating. If you find the magical balance, please let me know.
ReplyDeleteBalance? Chaos has always been my balance.
ReplyDeleteI want time to write my own stuff. I need to spend every waking moment working on DLP stuff. I do need to balance those two. Plus now I could really go for a marathon D&D game, too.
It's important to take care of you body because if you break it then you really won't get any writing done.
ReplyDeleteWell, I let the writing go recently because of other demands. That made me damn cranky. For my health, I need to write and feel as if I'm moving forward. I start small. 8 minutes at the same time every day. It creates a habit. I started with working on whatever project made me happiest. It really wasn't what made me happiest as the things not getting done are bugging the crap out of me. 8 minutes a day. My new schedule allows that. So, I'm going for it. I'll never get to buy my castle and have my fish room otherwise. lol
ReplyDeleteYeah, DnD can be an all-encompassing task. I did it once and loved it, but it kind of started taking over my life;)
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting here reading this while listening to a TED talk on time management, which I'm finding a bit ironic. What I want (to write) and need (to write) feel so far away right now. Life is a mess of insanity right now. But maybe I should look at it a little more like, well, I need to work right now and I'll get what I want to later :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes we simply need to pull back before we can go forward again. But yay to getting all of those house renovations done! I'm supposed to put a laminate floor in my daughter's bedroom this week (but she still hasn't gotten everything clean). As for the back and sitting, I've moved to my kitchen island with my laptop so I can stand the entire time. I have my eye on a lovely standing desk for my office...maybe for Christmas ;) Take care!
ReplyDelete