Friday, January 1, 2010

In Lieu of Resolutions

Happy New Year everyone!

If I were one for making resolutions, I would resolve to write more in the New Year. Instead, I prefer to complain about what keeps me from writing.

So, I’m pregnant…not that that, in itself is a good excuse. In the first trimester it was morning sickness. It’s hard to sit down and write when you’re throwing up all the time (or eating so that you won’t throw up, or crashed out on the couch so you won’t have to be awake to feel like you’re going to throw up.)

Now I’m in the third trimester, and mostly I feel great. Hey wait, that’s not a good excuse. Um, I have a two year old who has decided that he doesn’t need to nap anymore. Poof! There goes my writing time. I still make him have “quiet time” (ha ha) in his room, but something about that rhythmic thump thump of his foot against the wall hinders the creative flow.

Also, for those of you who’ve been pregnant, you may remember that your brain is a different organ than it used to be. Seriously, the chemistry changes and you find that you can’t even think in the same way. It’s like you have to get used to thinking with someone else’s brain. Someone very unlike you. Take a moment to imagine that. Now imagine trying to continue writing the novel that you started with your normal brain. See what I mean?

Okay, what else keeps me from writing? My shrinking bladder. Really, if you have to get up every 15 minutes to pee, it’s going to disrupt your flow. And then of course there’s that diaper I forgot to rinse out, and oh, I should start a load of laundry while I’m at it. Now where was I? Oh yes, writing.

Good books keep me from writing. I like to tell myself that I’m doing research. And of course I do learn things from reading—new techniques, inspiration, etc. But really, it shouldn’t take the place of writing.

Of course, writing blog entries and reading other blogs—that keeps me from writing.

Oh, and the aliens too.

So what are your excuses? See if you can beat mine.

Okay, now that we’ve got that off our chests, let’s rise above it and write. Deal?

10 comments:

Unknown said...

...hold on...just taking a pregnant pause. Just kidding!

Indeed, you have an excuse. It appears your life is 'busy busy busy'.

PS. As you can see, I've decided not to lurk...

All the best for 2010!

Sarah said...

Let's see ...

My excuses include evening work connected with my new job and general business.

The main excuse, though, is often that I don't feel like writing- not that I don't want to write, but I'm not sure I can write as well as I'd like, so I'll wait till I'm better able to.

Utter nonsense, of course, but I fight that excuse the most. NaNo did a great deal to knock that out of me, though.

(Yay, Quillfeather! Way to keep that resolution!)

Mrs. Major said...

Oh, I didn't write when I was prego but I can imagine the lack of focus! My excuses are many. Let me count the ways! good luck persevering!

TerryLynnJohnson said...

Gotta hate those aliens. lol.
My excuse is all the great blogs that call to me to be read.

Lisa said...

Oh Sarah, I definitely know the "I don't feel like writing" excuse. When I was much younger with many more romantic notions about life and writing, I used to think I had to be inpired to write. I would take walks and sip tea and wait for inspiration to hit.

Yeah, I didn't do a lot of actual writing.

Now I know that inspiration comes through the act of writing.

Still, it's a compelling excuse.

Sarah said...

Lisa, you're so right about inspiration coming while writing (often quite a few hours of writing) and not before it.

And while I know that, I'm often surprised how often I find part of me waiting to feel ready to write.

Then I go make it sit down with a laptop and pound out a few hundred words for being so silly. : )

Kristi said...

Just found your blog today and am LOVING this post! Finding new fun blogs like this one are a frequent distraction of mine...my blog reading lists seems to get larger every day. I keep telling myself I find inspiration and motivation from other fellow writers....

There's my real job, the two year old (totally understand your prego dilemmas), the husband, household chores, and life in general that tend to distract me from my writing...

It's amazing I ever actually get any done now that I think about it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Clementine said...

Oh my...I feel your pain! I was NOT a happy prego person. It was all I could do to keep my sanity. Best wishes to you and please don't feel pressured to write. You'll have plenty of time for that later...when they go to school. BTW, I write at my desk with a fan, so when my kids are down for "quiet time", I can't hear the bumping.

Lisa said...

Welcome Kristi! So glad you enjoyed the post. We hope you stick around.

It IS amazing that we ever get anything done! I try to remember that.

Here's to the small triumphs!

Lisa said...

Amy, great idea about the fan!