Wednesday, December 14, 2016

X is for eXhaustion

Paula’s brain hurts! 

Some people think it’s easy to write a novel. They think you sit down at the computer or with your laptop or with pen and paper, and the words pour forth.

Wrong!

I can’t find an authoritative source for this statement, but here is one version of it: There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein and bleed. Substitute computer for typewriter and you have the modern version.

Maybe that is somewhat extreme, but I don’t know any writer who thinks writing is ‘easy’. Except, maybe, for one writer who claims she writes 8-10K words each evening – although I do wonder if that is physically possible (and if it is, what the quality of writing is like.)

Far more realistic, to my mind, is the comment by one writer: Writing is like giving yourself difficult homework every day of the year.

There may be times when the words DO flow, but far more often writing is a struggle – and requires your brain to work overtime. It might be a relatively simple thing, like trying to find the right word to convey the exact meaning you want. Or it can be (and often is) something more complex, like working out your characters’ inner emotions/goals/motivation. Several of my novels have had an element of intrigue – and sorting that out is rather like trying to wind slippery spaghetti around a fork, thinking you’ve succeeded and then realising half a dozen strands have slipped off the fork and onto your lap.

Thinking out all the twists and turns while you plot your story (or in my case, write the first draft) is hard work! It’s often mentally exhausting – so much so that your brain seems to ache as it goes around in circles. At times I find myself wondering why I do it. Why don’t I find something less taxing to do? The reason, of course, is the sense of achievement when the story is finally written, polished, and edited. It’s only too easy then to forget all the brainwork and exhaustion – until you start to write the next book!

10 comments:

  1. Too true people think writing is easy. They have no idea of the blood, sweat and tears we suffer. Happily of course.

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    1. Not sure it's always happily, Margaret! The happiness for me comes when I finally get to the end of the first draft and can then start pulling it all together.

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  2. I couldn't agree more. Writing is definitely hard work.

    Some days I dream what it would be like to be a full-time writer. But in my imaginings the words just flow out of my mind and fingers and onto the page. I know reality wouldn't be like that for me.

    It is always 'interesting' when other (non-writers) have a perception of what things are like.

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    1. I could be a full-time writer now I'm retired and don't have to go out to work, but having plenty of time doesn't make the writing any easier, at least not for me!

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  3. It is hard to find the right word, but when you do, it's heavenly!

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    1. I love finding the right words! Sometimes I'll leave a blank in my first draft (i.e. a row of highlighted dots) when I can't think of the exact word I want, or sometime I'll put a similar word but highlight it for future research when I'm editing.

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  4. I'm realising how exhausting it is, and not just for me...for those that beta read, edit and advise also. :D

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    1. Ah, but you know I like editing. It might be hard work at times, but it's still easier than writing a first draft!

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  5. Whoever says writing is easy doesn't write. And maybe those 8K-10K words are a lot of "um's"?

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