The Writing Muscle

Jennifer is "working out"...

I finally picked up my manuscript yesterday and started editing it again. It felt so good to disappear into the lives of my characters. I really love Cassie and Rayne, and it was almost like having a reunion with dear friends.

Life has been so hectic lately, I haven’t been able to focus on writing, but I decided that I had to force myself to get back to it, even just for a few minutes. A few minutes turned into an hour. I didn’t do major rewriting yesterday, even though there are places that need it—I left notes for myself to go back later and take care of the rewriting. I still didn’t feel I had the concentration necessary tackle major rewrites. But at least those parts that need major rewrites are now percolating in my head, waiting for me to have either the time or a brainstorm.

I’ve posted several blog topics here about not having time to write, or not being inspired to write or, conversely, getting back to writing. What I’m finding more and more to be the case is that writing is like exercising. There’s a muscle that needs to be used; otherwise it atrophies. I’m not saying you can never stop or that there is no benefit to taking a break—it is creative, after all. However, I do believe that at some point, even if you don’t want to, you need to sit down and write. Just write, no matter how awful it might be, because just by actively engaging in the activity, my brain starts to churn again and I find the inspiration slowly returning.