It was near this time last year that I woke from a thirty year slumber and started writing again. I wrote whatever came to mind. It’s a time in my life I’ll never forget. Somewhere between handing out popsicles to my children and their friends, and chasing my son in the backyard, I wrote.
I felt like this very tree in my front yard, exploding out of the hard grounds of winter into sunlight. I finished a manuscript, written in a disorganized madness. I read it over, gleaned what lessons I could, and moved onto National Novel Writing Month. NaNo passed in a caffeinated, sleep-deprived funk. But like the scene outside my window- all ambers, crimsons, and smoke of burning leaves-my perspective changed.
After all, you can’t hold onto any season for long.
As a few readers may know, I spent the winter digging graves for all the darlings needing killing in my NaNo novel. It is cold and hungry work. I handed over my first chapter to critique partners, and though they promised I had something worthy, I knew my groundhog didn’t see its proverbial shadow. I retreated from the sunlight a little, but found there’s beauty in winter light and hard work.
I discovered something about my own creative process. There are defining moments like this in any creative’s life- writers, artists, musicians. It’s not a matter of fitting a label- pantser vs. plotter or organic vs. organization.
Find the process that suits you. If you can’t go over or under a block, tunnel through.
I knew I needed to let my manuscript rest, so to speak. I’m not only a pantser/plotter hybrid, but one of those oddballs who needs to bury the story deep and let it soak in the primordial juices of my subconscious before further metastasis.
I never walked away. I asked questions of my characters, reconstructed the plot a thousand times in my mind, scribbled notes, jotted ideas on odd pieces of paper(once on a bubble gum wrapper!) I continued to tend my little fledgling. I learned to love it more, and found its heart.
These are the seasons of writing.
I believe this: The harder we try to force and cultivate the process, the more our own creative capacity resists us. Just breathe and take it one word at a time.
And while you find your rhythm, write, read, meditate, and write some more.
Have you recognized junctures in your writing life? How did they affect your creative process?
Courtney Koschel has been writing since she could hold a crayon. She has worked as a journalist, editor, technical writer, and technical editor. Young adult fiction is near and dear to her heart, which is why she writes YA and all of its glorious sub-genres.
Tonia Marie Houston is a mother, writer, poet, bookworm, and blogger. When sheís not chasing her three spider monkeys, she spends her time revising a young adult novel about life after death and second chances. Though she began to pursue her career later in life, she hopes to inspire and motivate other writers to put their best book forward.
This native Texan now lives with her Scottish hubby in North Ayrshire, Scotland, where she wanders the moors in search of William Wallace. She has been a guest blogger on Writer Unboxed and is currently working on the sequel to her YA supernatural novel, Touched by Darkness.
Jamie Raintree writes what she likes to call everyday fairytale love stories, featuring the little moments in life that are truly magical. She lives in Arizona with her husband and daughter and is currently editing her second novel.
Jani Grey is a South African ambivert, writer, reader, optimist, and bacon enthusiast. When her boss isnít looking she writes, revises, or edits YA Urban Fantasies in between work. Sheís sneaky like that. Sheís a NaNoWriMo addict and is currently working on two NaNo novels.
Rebecca Fields is a modern gypsy, roaming from place to place in search of ñ well, sheíll let you know when she finds it. Writing has become a way for her to share her adventures, both real and imagined. Along with her on her journey are her son and an assortment of rescued animals.
Courtney Koschel
April 13, 2012 at 8:07 am
Another great post. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spoken these same words. There is no right or wrong way to write. There just isn’t. Each individual person has to do what’s best for them. I know what works for me may not work for someone (or anyone) else. That’s FINE. I don’t try to do things any other way, because honestly, I’ve probably already tried it and realized it wasn’t for me.
I have to let my WIP simmer as well. Even if it’s for a weekend. This lets me come back to it with an objective eye. One thing I personally do, is set a writing schedule. It took almost a year for me to get into the habit, but now I’m crabby if I don’t write every day. I found ways to help myself stay accountable. These are all things that work for me–they may not work for everyone else
Thanks again for a fabulous post
Tonia Marie Houston
April 13, 2012 at 8:38 am
And I want to note that a schedule does work for me. After last week’s madness-and the end result for which I’m very happy-I’m chomping at the bit to set goals and write. I admire those who can work in complete creative chaos, but I have enough of that with three children-accountability and goal-setting keeps me in line and happy.
Tonia Marie Houston
April 13, 2012 at 8:34 am
Thanks for commenting, Courtney.
“There is no right way or wrong way to write” is the single most important thing any writer can learn about the process. Like you, I feel I’ve tried lots of variations, and I’m bound to experiment with more.
Finding balance and sustaining creative passion is key to making a book, poem, etc. sing.
bwtaylor75
April 13, 2012 at 9:41 am
Like you, I sometimes leave my stories to marinate in my creative juices. However long that takes is however long that takes. The one thing that I’ve leaned is that it always works, for me. Whenever I get stuck I go and do something else. In a few days an idea will hit me and I run to the computer and type away. I call it being struck by creative lightning.
Know yourself and stay true whoever or whatever that may be. Don’t panic and feel like you have to write in a certain way. Who says that you have to?
Nicely written post Tonia.
Tonia Marie Houston
April 13, 2012 at 3:49 pm
I’ll always read blogs for writers, craft books,etc. But I try to bear in mind my personality and strenghts. We want to create a project that’s all our own, why not through a unique process as well? Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I like that expression–”creative lightening”.
Heather Reid
April 13, 2012 at 10:42 am
Beautiful post! I love hearing about the process of other writers. Tonia, I’m like you. I have to take a step back sometimes and let the story marinate. Sometimes that’s a day, sometimes a week or more. The thing that works well for me is envoking my characters just as I’m about to go off to sleep. Vaughn calls this process visualising and it totally works for me. I ask my character questions about the problem they are facing in the chapter I’m working on. I ask them questions about it, ask them what they would do in the situtation, and then I listen. I keep a pen and paper on my bedside. And in those still moments before I doze off, that’s when they start speaking. Sometimes I get up and write things down, other times, I just listen and wake up with new ideas in my head.
I agree with Courtney, there is no right or wrong! I do believe in setting goals though.
You guys are awesome!
Heather Reid
April 13, 2012 at 10:43 am
I forgot to say that I don’t always visualize at night! Sometimes it’s in the middle of the day
Dave calls it napping, but we all know I’m actually working. 
vaughnroycroft
April 13, 2012 at 12:49 pm
I was going to say just thay about Mo.
Why is it the spouses just don’t understand this is part of the process?
Really great post, Tonia, and really great week overall at H&C!
Tonia Marie Houston
April 13, 2012 at 3:52 pm
Heather,I followed your tip on this, and it’s worked wonders! I’ve sat and interviewed my characters a few times. Thanks:)
I’m with you and Vaughn on this visualizing during the day. SK naps everyday. I think he is a wise man.;)
This has been a fantastic ride with my fellow H&C ladies. I thank them, and our constant readers, for all your support and sense of community.
tolbert
April 16, 2012 at 9:42 am
i stared it in the face many times…the inability to start up again. It was like that proverbial weed, only not. This one was a dandy…as in tame, peaceful, non-threatening, lion…king of the jungle. So this dandy lion was also one that existed out of its element and refused to be blown by the winds of adversity into neatly plowed rows. Would it allow me to continue on with the book I so badly wanted to finish? Would it stand quietly by as I revisited the two books I had finished writing but had done nothing with? Would this dandy lion be too powerful a weed/animal for my bipolar mind to continue? Only the second hands of time will tell…and when I went to the second hand store it was closed.
Tonia Marie Houston
April 16, 2012 at 9:53 am
I thought about using weed-killer myself a time or two. But then there are always a few I want to keep around-reminders that writing is like life-never aspires to grow in neat rows, bow to those winds. Revisions are coming along like this for me-second hand stores, I wanted to check out Sears for a tiller. But I’ve thought better of it. I don’t even put on my gardening gloves anymore, just stick my hands in the dirt and start pulling. Slow work, tedious sometimes. But it’s soothing, in its way. I have more time to plot various gardens. Best wishes to you vs. the dandy lion. Let us know how it turns out for you.
ontheplumtree
April 16, 2012 at 3:31 pm
I love your post…I cannot imagine my life without writing now. I am compulsive. I ache to write, just have to do it. It is my prayer and meditation, a moment of reaching within to a quiet, beautiful space, where I am liberated.
Tonia Marie Houston
April 16, 2012 at 5:06 pm
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment, Niamh! I feel the same about writing. Before I started again, I knew it was missing- every day. It was like rubbing your tongue along a spot in your mouth where a tooth was before. You have a way with words- liberating, one of the best adjectives yet to describe the feeling of creating something.
Jamie Raintree
April 29, 2012 at 1:07 am
“The harder we try to force and cultivate the process, the more our own creative capacity resists us.” Is my writing spirit speaking to you? Because you seem to be saying everything I need to hear right now. Don’t worry…I’m listening.
Jani
April 29, 2012 at 12:03 pm
I’m loving the weed quote. Definitely sticking it up somewhere. Like ontheplumtree said, I can’t imagine my life without writing in it, and it’s hard for me to remember what I did with my time before it. Great post!