I was just discussing how prolific Neil Gaiman is, how rich with ideas. Just looked at his blog for today in which he begins: "Had a holiday, much of which I spent writing".
*sigh* My creative writing tutor gave us a number of maxims, including "writers have immaculate houses". When we protested, she said, "Comparatively. You go through times when you would prefer to do anything rather than writing. Even washing dishes. Even ironing. Even scrubbing the floor." I've done one hour of revision to every two hours of housework today. I suppose men don't have the same temptation.
Good point, though they probably have other avoidance mechanisms. While I will probablly never have an immaculate house (unless the day come when I can afford a housekeeper to do it for me!) I must admit, when I'm trying to write I tend to have freshly washed dishes and vacuumed floors....
So how does Neil Gaiman manage to write without delaying tactics? Or Warren Ellis?
Hmm, maybe their 'delaying tactic' is to write in blogs.
Which is another form of writing.
Maybe the trick is to become addicted to the act of writing.
When I can write, and have time, it's usually only hard when I'm starting a new chapter that I'm uncertain about or when I'm trying to edit something to make it work and I know it's going to be a long-haul. I usually delay by writing in my lj or reading a book, but then the reading inspires me, reminds me of the fun of a story, and I usually go back. Otherwise, I only usually delay when I have homework, and that's just a stress issue.
I don't think I've ever not written because I had housework LOL.
Understood. I don't think I've even done that. When I'm frustrated with writing, I just end up doing something completely different until I'm ready.
But I don't write for a profession, so I have no deadlines, so the pressure isn't the same. I imagine housework would look appealing if I HAD to finish this that or the other by this time... cause then it would be like doing homework and that's what I do with homework! ("Ok, things have to be nice and clean before I start! Oh and I have to do this first...")
I've used housework for procrastination many a time. But considering that I like to have the house really neat and tidy and clean and it usually isn't, maybe I should be doing that more, not less.
Thing is, writing is more important to me than housework.
Thing is, writing is more important to me than housework
I won't argue that. Though I do often feel the need for things to be 'in place' before I do some things, it's usually not so with writing, more with homework. That's my OCD.
I don't procrastinate with writing so much as I get frustrated with it and have to get away from it for awhile. It's forced upon me, I swear!
I go through spells where I can't not write; and spells where, for whatever reasons, I do not write. I prefer the former state. I plan to return to it.
It is much the same problem: the writer has to get inside the head of the character. But wimping out and writing takes far less guts than standing up on a stage with people staring at you.
I don't think it's 'less guts', it's just a different temperament. I remember once talking to a friend of mine who was an actress, taking English courses in university. She said she was too shy to speak out in class. I was astounded - I'm shy, but in an English lit class I can get up and answer anything. While she used to run around on stage in her underwear in front of 500 people at a time. I couldn't do that in a million years.
So we each have our comfort levels. Some are showmen. Some are wordsmiths.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-01-01 01:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-01 02:54 pm (UTC)Good point, though they probably have other avoidance mechanisms. While I will probablly never have an immaculate house (unless the day come when I can afford a housekeeper to do it for me!) I must admit, when I'm trying to write I tend to have freshly washed dishes and vacuumed floors....
So how does Neil Gaiman manage to write without delaying tactics? Or Warren Ellis?
Hmm, maybe their 'delaying tactic' is to write in blogs.
Which is another form of writing.
Maybe the trick is to become addicted to the act of writing.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-01 06:08 pm (UTC)I don't think I've ever not written because I had housework LOL.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-01 06:27 pm (UTC)It's not so much not writing because I have housework (it's always with us, after all), more doing housework because I'm reluctant to write!
no subject
Date: 2006-01-01 06:40 pm (UTC)But I don't write for a profession, so I have no deadlines, so the pressure isn't the same. I imagine housework would look appealing if I HAD to finish this that or the other by this time... cause then it would be like doing homework and that's what I do with homework! ("Ok, things have to be nice and clean before I start! Oh and I have to do this first...")
no subject
Date: 2006-01-02 03:03 am (UTC)Thing is, writing is more important to me than housework.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-02 03:05 am (UTC)I won't argue that. Though I do often feel the need for things to be 'in place' before I do some things, it's usually not so with writing, more with homework. That's my OCD.
I don't procrastinate with writing so much as I get frustrated with it and have to get away from it for awhile. It's forced upon me, I swear!
no subject
Date: 2006-01-02 02:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-01 06:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-02 03:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-02 03:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-02 07:36 pm (UTC)So we each have our comfort levels. Some are showmen. Some are wordsmiths.