Tuesday, November 10, 2009

In the Mood

Eww, get your mind out of the gutter! I am so not going there!!

I've decided to try and keep with the theme of my Quotes of the Week posts and what a good week for me to decide this!

If it hasn't already been drilled into your brain, November = Nano. Nano = words. Lots of words. For me, that is a lot more words than I am normally accustomed to writing in any given amount of time.

I've discovered I'm a bit of a binge writer. (Or is it purge, because I'm trying to get it all out?) Once I have something in my head, I'll go and go and go until I'm running on empty. Then I just sort of hang out until something else wants to be written. For Nano, this would be such a no no.

I have to write. Or at least make the most valiant attempt I can to get in a few new words every day. I'm not as great at sticking with a set "time to write" because I have 2 small children and as most of you will agree, as a parent, you usually run on their schedule, at least until bed time. So by the time the kids are in bed and the house is cleaned up and I can write, I'm usually not in the mood.

For the last week, I've been trying to balance out my days and my word count hasn't been too bad, but now, after I saw the quote I posted yesterday, I am totally with Pearl S. Buck. I can't wait until I'm in the mood to write. I just have to do it. Sort of like everything else, right?

Seriously, are there people who think to themselves "I'm in the mood to clean the bathroom today?" or "I'm in the mood to vacuum the house with the hand attachments?" I think not.

So in the mood or not, we all have to do it.

With the minor exception of one of my children asking me "Mommy, please could you turn off the computer to come cuddle and sleep?" I am not letting my mood decide for me anymore.

 Though I wonder what helps get you past that moment. Any tips out there? What do you do to help you get in the mood to crank out a few more words? Or clean the bathroom? Or wash the windows?

3 comments:

Tana said...

I've come to realization that I need to write weather or not my muse shows up. Sounds like we're on the same page!

Angie said...

I have a hard time with this. Music helps, because it is a powerful mood setter. Check out Diana Paz's post on Writing Roller Coasters today. It seems relevant to this discussion. (Sorry, I don't know how to post a link in a comment.)

Elana Johnson said...

Yeah, I'm a mood writer. And it suits me. And I'm sticking with it. ;)