Your Story Deserves More: Putting in the Time
By Heather Webb | October 25, 2018 |
I have a short post to share with you today with a small but rather important point.
We need to take our time while crafting our stories, to say something meaningful, or to craft a story of which we’re proud, whatever that may be.
I’ve just ordered a pain au chocolat and a café crème in this little café in Nice. I know, poor me. I’ve got my journal and my laptop and I’m jotting down thoughts about tangled plot points as they come to me. I’m also spending some time asking my protagonist questions that may be difficult for her to answer. I’ve had this story idea brewing for some time, but it has become wedged in my brain and I’ve had trouble digging it out, coaxing the characters to talk to me. Maybe the four trips I’ve made in the last two months has something to do with it, or losing my beloved mother-in-law this summer and all that has entailed, or it could also be that I’ve been too distracted by another project. Whatever the cause—and it’s likely a little of all of these things—I’ve had trouble diving back in. Fair enough, right?
But the issue is, I’m feeling so much pressure.
It isn’t just that my life is full. That’s always the case and it’s something I’m grateful for. (Frankly, when it’s not, I’m bored.) The pressure is self-imposed, mostly, but it sort of buzzes through the publishing industry as a whole as well. There’s so much pressure to hit that goal, to be the first to write about that particular angle on a subject, and mostly importantly, there’s pressure to get paid.
But as I stir my coffee and take a bite of this flaky pastry, I’m thinking about all of this pressure and timing. I’m thinking about how often we really give ourselves time to rest, recoup, and process—and the affect this has on our craft. Sometimes we need to let a story percolate. We need to allow our subconscious to take in bits and pieces from our daily activities and the world around us. We need to let our brains chew on things. We need TIME. Time to pluck our story threads until it’s tuned to the right notes, and time to write an unforgettable story.
Do you ever feel pressured to write more, faster, and why is that? Do you feel as if you produce your best work that way?
Heather Webb is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of historical fiction. As a freelance editor and an adjunct in a MFA in Creative Writing program, Heather has helped many writers sign with agents and go on to sell at market. When not writing, she feeds her cookbook addiction, geeks out on history and pop culture, and looks for excuses to head to the other side of the world. To date, her books have been translated to seventeen languages.
I feel this pressure constantly! For the moment it’s entirely self-imposed, but even so, I struggle with the issue of time away from writing (especially traveling vacations) stressing me just as badly as the busiest of times when I’m still able to fit writing into my schedule.
Small blocks of time away, though, I find very helpful for the writing, because that is, as you said, time when the subconscious is chewing away on story problems. (This is also why I don’t own a smartphone; I’m not sure when my brain would get to chew on anything if I did.)
As a father of two (2.5y and 1mo), I’ve been struggling with time pressure more than usual lately, but I’ve been using the pressure to push myself like a sports coach to make the most of every minute I do get at the computer.
I completely understand! This “vacation” of mine was actually a research trip and though I had a wonderful time, too, I was chewing my nails through much of it and watching the clock, thinking about all of the time I wasn’t writing. Feeling the pressure. But I think you make a great point about taking advantage of the little snippets of time we do get to ease some of that pressure, and trying to make a concerted effort to enjoy! Thanks for your comments today.
This post resonated with me because I’m trying to get started on a sequel after successfully snaring an agent/publisher with my previous MS. I’ve been having trouble shifting back to pure creation (I don’t know where this leads, but I’m writing it anyway) after so many months of perfecting and revising (Do I need this? No.) It’s a different brain space. Anyway thanks for writing this and good luck giving yourself the time to do things right.
Yeah, what is it about sequels? I took forever getting into gear for drafting the one I’m working on now — 10 or 12 times as long as for the first volume. I think at some point you have to have grace for yourself to get the story right, even if it’s slower. Good luck with yours — it’s worth it!
Carol, you’re right–drafting/creation is a completely different brain space from editing and promoting and pitching ourselves. It’s an odd sort of energy, actually, because it requires both quiet focus and also time for us to get up and move and think out loud, pace if we need to, or hash out a plot point internally. I’ve found I have a lot of kinetic energy during the drafting phase that can feel like anxiety, though it really isn’t that, exactly. You’ll find that sweet spot again! Give it time. :) And best of luck!
I feel this. So much. I had been really down on myself for not starting to draft another novel LAST year, and now this year is mostly done. But I wasn’t ready last year, or most of this year. Now I feel like I am finally getting there. And the idea has developed into something so much more interesting and layered the longer I DIDN’T write it. Yes, we need to give ourselves time.
Yes! That’s precisely it, Erin. Sometimes we think we need to get going right away, but really, our brains need to rest and refill the well. I’m glad to hear you’re well on your way! :D
Perfect timing…I wanted so badly to veer away from another December release that I hurried through a manuscript and sent it to betas, thinking YES! I’ve got this and it will be out in October. Finally!
Wrong. Betas returned with NO, NO, NO…this will not work and gave me their comments as to why not. I was upset, worried, and most of all terrified this would set me back. I let it sit for a week, rereading the comments, and finally decided they were right. Horribly right. Yes, it put me back another six weeks, and yes, I’ll have another December release. But–the story is much stronger, is more layered, characterization is deeper, and I fell more deeply in love with my MC (male) because of this major revision.
Pressure? Yes. My own. I had to let it go when I realized I wasn’t going to make the deadlines I’d imposed on myself. It’s okay. The story will be told the way it should be, and I’ll work on next year’s October release. (I’m a slow, slow writer)
I’m a bit slow, too, Susan. The story I mentioned in this article is almost a year and a half in the making and I have a gnarly first draft and a fairly clean first act and that’s about it. It just takes time to make something layered and worth reading. I’m so glad you listened to your beta readers’ advice. I’m sure your readers will be glad, too. :) Ultimately, it’s far more important to put stories out into the world we will always be proud of instead of those we cranked out quickly to make a deadline, right? Also, Decembers are usually a good time to sell. ;) Good luck!
I feel the pressure much more so after self-publishing. There is only so much I can do and juggle. Also, I find myself becoming anxious about the things I’m not doing…so I need to step back and pare down even more and trust that what I can do is enough. Thanks for this timely post.
Vijaya, I have similar concerns from time to time–WHAT AM I NOT DOING?! But there’s lots I’m not doing and it’s mostly things I can’t really control anyway so I’m learning how to let go and take one day at a time. Wishing you luck in that department, too!
I’m sorry…Nice? As in France? As in writing in cafe’s with pain au chocolat to nibble? You are talking about pressure? The need to recoup? Is that a free seat next to you? May I sit there?
I know the pressure of which you speak, but I found a way to counter-act it. I now write (fiction anyway) without contracts or deadlines. The danger in no deadlines is that there is no particular urgency to write, so I set myself creative challenges. Writing becomes play and I can’t wait to get to it.
Uh, pass the sucre? Thanks. Where was I? Oh, yes. Pressure. So much of that. Wait, is there a menu? Excuse me while I go over and browse the pastry case. If the waiter drops by, order me another espresso?
Pardon me, what were we discussing?
LOL! I know. Nice is such a hardship! It’s not, of course, and was an amazing trip, but the crazy thing is, I was still feeling pressure while away on a research trip. I was working and plotting and taking notes, but I was also sight-seeing and drinking wine on patios and NOT writing and I see my deadline looming AND, AND, AND! Stresssssss. It’s so silly in some ways, for sure.
I’m so glad to hear it’s possible to relax and not stress while creating. I love this idea of writing goals to keep you motivated. Thanks for your insightful comments, as always. (And yes, I have a seat here for you!)
“Do you ever feel pressured to do write more, faster, and why is that? Do you feel as if you produce your best work that way?”
1) YES. Kristen Lamb just posted about the obsession with productivity and our weird assumption that the longer hours we work, the more productive we become. I had a burnout I still haven’t completely recovered from, which is why I no longer work as a professional graphic designer for the [insert name of big company].
2) Hell no.
Yet I still seem stuck in this vicious circle. My husband asks “shouldn’t you take some rest?” Me: “You’re right. I’m going to catch up with all writing blogs, pages, then read some craft books.” (Mind, he does exactly the same thing.)
Kristen and I are on the same wave length. What is it about our thinking that more hours= more productivity? It certainly doesn’t, and never has for me, yet when I’m not writing I feel guilty. It’s absurd. I think we need “yoga and meditation for writers” so we teach ourselves how to slip in and out of production mindset in a healthy way! Good luck with your story and put DOWN the craft book for awhile. :D
YES!
This inner pressure (which I call my Inner Bully) is the dark side of our Persistence–which is a necessary quality of every freelance writer. If we didn’t have Persistence, we wouldn’t be writers at all. However, the price we pay for having Persistence is that we are driving ourselves almost constantly, sometimes unconsciously.
Your post gave me exactly what I need to think about today, as I have been driving myself relentlessly and harshly toward a self-imposed deadline.
Writing is really “energy work.” If we’re writing unhappily, it will show, and the creativity will be strangled. I am taking some time now to take some breaths, loosen up the deadlines, and return to that place where writing is joyful.
I absolutely love this line: “Writing is energy work.” This, too, is my belief! In fact, I wrote a post here for WU about the kinetic nature of writing some time back. If our energy isn’t stored up or isn’t aligned with our task, things are apt to go poorly and we need to learn to recognize this in ourselves. It’s just so difficult to see sometimes. I hope, in time, I’ll learn how to give myself the space and time I need! Thank you for your insightful comments today!
Gosh, yes, pressure. Always. I rarely take time off — to just be. And if I do something “else” I’m always thinking how much work I have to “make up.” This is a necessary evil with freelance and deadlines but I also do it with my own writing.
Maybe I’ll take Sunday off.
I’ll say Heather said it was ok.
xoxo