Lots 'o people associate Monday with the end of fun, but me being sort of manic about getting things done, to me Mondays are weekly opportunities for renewal:
I start something new. I try again. No matter what happened last week, Monday signifies a time to get over it. Stop looking in the rear-view. Get this life train back on track.
I was gloomy and doomy last week. While buried in a weekend pity-gorge of hot wings and pizza, I did some hardcore self-analysis, and I spotted the the reason for my emo-ness. With a certain book as they say completed, I'm clearly suffering from PND--post-novel depression. My characters are still in a way they've never been since I met them. I keep picturing them together in a hospital waiting room, checking their watches, eating vending machine snacks. They're depressing me.
So today I write:
Dear Characters,Bloggies, it is Monday. I dare you to start something exciting. Make your fresh start more real by telling me about it in the comments. What new adventure are you about to begin?
I have done all I can for you (for now). I can't wait with you anymore. It is Monday, and I've a new week, a new story--and fine, it's true--new characters to write. It's not you, it's me.
I wish you all the best. You truly deserve it. When you meet a nice editor who makes you feel even more complete than I ever could, I'd love to have dinner with the both of you.
I am a better person for having known you.
Love,
Marie
by Gayle Forman
by Lauren Barnholdt
by E.M. Forster
by Francesca Lia Block
by Alyson Noel
by Kirsten Miller
by Stephanie Kuehnert
by Harvey Karp
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I love Monday's too. Entering the writing space with a recharged awareness. I'm in the midst of revising a WIP but it's a self-renewing adventure every step of the way.
ReplyDeleteYup, Mondays are good, Fridays are baaad! LOL Monday is my new beginning too-also my weekdays are precious since that is when my two older girls are in school! This week, I have to catch up on words written (I did an October practice for November's nano) and I'm decorating for Halloween. Sure-not really writing related, but it will be fun!
ReplyDeleteLove your letter to your characters-good idea! I have characters that pester me all the time, I may have to try that....
You crack me up!
ReplyDeleteBut I still hate Mondays. They stole my weekend away from me.
Um yeah, it's been almost 2 months since I finished my manuscript and I still haven't started something new. Today Marie, just for you. I'm going to actually write something.
ReplyDeleteHmm, this is very interesting. Start something exciting, you say? That's a nice thought. I think, now that you've pushed me, I will start writing an adaptation of King Lear. Partly because I would like to give it a try, but mainly because it is my assignment. Does that count? :p
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration on this gloomy monday eve.
I like the letter.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like my Monday.
I want to start something new. Hmm what should it be? .... (crickets)
I will let you know as soon as I think of something.
I'm impressed that you finished your novel. Great. Sorry you've been gloomy, but I guess that's normal. Glad to hear you're working on something new.
ReplyDeleteI love Mondays too, Marie. I usually don't have to work at the bookstore on Mondays so that's when I get a lot of work done at home (by this I mean writing, not dusting or scrubbing because, um, my house is a mess). Today was so beautiful I took a 2-mile walk and THOUGHT about my latest plot-related dilemma and other closer-to-home issues (son's illness, etc).
Sometimes that's all it takes for your brain to work out a problem.
So, yeah, Mondays are not bad. And I also love your letter to your characters. Maybe I need to write a letter to mine to tell them to hurry up and get on with it already. I must be the world's slowest writer.
Kristi, an October practice for NaNoMo? Good idea. I haven't done any NaNoMo training, but maybe I should start.
ReplyDeleteJoanne, You bring up an interesting point. I love to walk (sans Blackberry) when I need to work something out in my writing. Other things I do that aren't actually productive writing, but that are part of my writing process:
writing poems
listening to music
writing journal entries in my character's voice
outlining
reading
making scene lists
research
I always feel guilty when I do these things during my designated writing time, but they're part of writing, right? What do you guys think? When do you fit stuff like this in?
All writing is writing. That's an actual quote from an editor at a recent SCBWI conference. He also said we should all be buying blank birthday cards and writing our own greetings to people. "You're writers, right? How hard can it be to write a message?"
ReplyDeleteSo please don't feel guilty. Egad. Especially if you're writing poems. That's a wonderful writing exercise. Ditto with scene lists and journaling in your character's voice (great idea). It's all good.
If reading is also writing practice then I'm way ahead of the game. I read for hours every day.