I Think I Lost my Writing Mojo in the Turkey
By Heather Webb | November 30, 2018 |
I begin with a deep bow. A deep bow to you, courageous Nanowrimo-ers, for plowing on—and for using all the words I can’t find. I just can’t seem to muster the strength to write. I can barely focus. My brain is made of eggnog and Figgie pudding, and I think my insides are slowly turning to brown sugar and butter. All I can think about is which fantastic holiday goodie I should bake, which cheesy holiday movie I’m going to watch, and the endless sales that are begging me to buy all the things. I find myself wondering how long I can hide in the bathtub with a book, or how long I can go without laundry (we’re down to the swimsuits and bathrobes now).
In fact, I’ve been staring at this blank page for days, trying to summon the energy to draft a blog post for my beloved Writer Unboxed community. That’s how bad it is. So I figured I should follow the famous advice we’ve all heard a million times and write what I know. Well, here it is.
I know that my holiday list of chores is long but enjoyable. I know that I’ve worked extremely hard and at lightning speed all year on three different projects—and I’m tired. My brain wants to hibernate for awhile. And yet, developmental edits just arrived on my desk for one project, and copy edits for another are coming before Christmas. Then there’s my WIP that is in desperate need of attention. It’s been calling my name, nagging me to come back and bring the love.
But, but…Love Actually is on and also my daughter reallllly needs those llama slippers. (I’d better run and get them before they’re gone, don’t you think? Maybe my son would like the Zelda Switch game. Oh, and my husband definitely needs a new Red Sox hat…)
The fact of the matter is, I have wicked holiday torpor.
The week before Thanksgiving it invaded my body and now, every ounce of will power seems to be seeping away. A conundrum to be sure. So I’ve decided I need an optimistic, positive spin on my holiday sloth, because that’s who I am, and that’s what helps me get back to the page. Eventually. For those who are feeling the same way I am, maybe we can do this together. I’ll give you a little advice and you leave me some in the comments? We have to get back to the page, after all, right?
1. Don’t beat yourself up, unless it’s with candy canes. Because if you’re going to berate yourself, you might as well be minty fresh. Seriously, you may just need a break. Plus, aren’t the holidays supposed to be enjoyed? Do it. Enjoy them. No more fussing and belittling yourself. Unfocused work is like two steps forward and one step back, anyway, so take time off when it’s needed.
2. Work in small bite-sized chunks of chocolate. Don’t fight the chocolate covered cherry urges. Instead, have a couple with a cup of tea and choose a few small tasks that you know you can accomplish that day, and leave it at that. The turtle wins the race, after all.
3. Stand like a Nutcracker solider while writing, instead of sitting. I mean, you can relax your shoulders and stuff, and you don’t need to smile like you’ve ingested a bunch of speed, but stand up! Sitting down all day makes me tired, listless, longing for a nap. Standing, on the other hand, helps keep me energized and focused. It sounds counter-intuitive, but there’s something about the blood flow to the brain that works better this way. Give it a go. If you don’t have a standing desk, use a counter top.
And that’s all I’ve got.
Are you feeling me? Do you have holiday torpor?
I’d love to hear your suggestions about how to focus during the holidays. Bonus for funny anecdotes. Also, have a lovely holiday season, friends. I’ll see you next year!
[coffee]
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.
4. Get up before the rest of the world, while even your dogs are still snoozing, to accomplish the important work stuff.
5. Bring on the coffee.
Thanks for the fun, list, Heather.
This is great advice, Barbara. I used to get up super early before the rest of the household when my kids were wee ones and I got a lot done. Especially, too, because the internet is a lot quieter when the U.S. is asleep. I should maybe revisit that approach…
Ha! Love this, Heather. :)
I’m at the point where I’ve let so many things go during NaNoWriMo, I have to step away for a moment and tend to them. For me, NaNoWriMo came just at the right time (finally). I did it successfully four years ago, and for the last couple years I’ve been in that brain-mush state you’re in now, having done too much, too frantically, for too long, and needing to just binge dumb shows on Netflix. It was once I stopped worrying about it and feeling so desperate for that mojo to come back that it finally did. I guess that’s how those things often work. So, way to be kind to yourself! It’s so much better than beating yourself up.
You’re right, Erin–it always seems to come back when we just let it go. I’m going to take that approach for now, I think. :D
Have a wonderful holiday, and congrats on your NaNo!
Hey Heather, We used to go all out for Christmas. For years… decades, even. Ours was the Christmas house for our extended family, including a dozen nieces and nephews. About this time of year, we’d go and cut down a live tree at a nearby tree-farm. I’d decorate the outside just a tad less elaborately than Clark Griswold. And the inside… well, it was sort of holiday Versailles meets cozy bungalow. We had an entire corner of our attic filled with decorations. The fam would invade for days, and our guesthouse became more like a bunkhouse. At the height of it, we’d host up to 20, along with four to six large dogs (mostly labs). As the designated chef, it seemed like I’d cook through the entire thing, starting the next meal right after cleaning up the prior one.
Alas, the youngest of our nieces is a senior in high school, with a few still in college. The rest are young adults, beginning their own traditions. We still host a holiday get-together, but it’s not Camp Christmas anymore. Only about half can make it, and most of those come for one dinner, and then leave.
As for decorating, we have a fully decorated 4′ tree that I keep in a large trash bag. We set it on a stool, pull off the bag, plug it in, and voila!
Our holidays have gone from chaos to quiet. Almost an eerie quiet. Most of the cottages nearby are empty now. And snow adds a muffling effect. And though I sometimes miss aspects of the chaos, I have to admit, I mostly consider it pretty darn wonderful. Particularly for the writing life.
There’s an odd nostalgia to it all, though. Even for the kids, I think. A nephew stopped by the night before Thanksgiving, on the way from campus to his parents’ house. Our house is mostly exposed wood (paneling, timbered ceilings, etc.). When he stepped inside, he said, “This house smells like Christmas.” Made me smile.
The season has become sort of like living among the ghosts of Christmas past. Say, maybe they can help me with the WIP…? Wishing you the very best of the season, and a smooth transition back to writing mode!
“As for decorating, we have a fully decorated 4′ tree that I keep in a large trash bag. We set it on a stool, pull off the bag, plug it in, and voila!”
Vaughn, this is how you officially know you are an old man. :)
My parents started doing this a couple years ago.
I think we gave our old tree to the church last year to replace a REALLY old one there…and we’re not 100% sure our attic even contains a tree at this point!
Ha! I suppose it’s official, then. Guess I’ll start wearing those buckle-front galoshes and carrying around an aluminum snow shovel, ala the scary old guy in Home Alone.
Fingers crossed you still have a tree, Erin! Or you guys could come on down and cut a fresh one. I’ll supply the hot chocolate and hot toddies. :)
Unfortunately, we DID have a tree. No hot toddies for us. :(
That was a fun comment to read, Vaughn. I could almost feel myself being there at camp Christmas, filled with good smells and happy kids and lots of chaos. We usually go to my parents’ house and they host all of us + uncles and aunts, etc, so I can picture your scene exactly.
This year will be different. I traveled so much and worked so hard, and we also had a hard year emotionally with some family stuff, so I’m happy to say, for the first time EVER I’m not traveling for Christmas. We’ll be home in New England. It’ll be quiet. I’m hoping for snow. And I can’t say that I’m sad about it. The quiet, as you said, is just what I need. :) There’s definitely a gift in that sometimes.
Thanks for this, today. I’ll find my way back…maybe after more egg nog and a few more cheesy movies…
Write two questions about your WIP. Go for a twenty-minute walk. Double benefit — the urge to write will be compelling and fingers will fly and it will complement your standing to move blood back to the brain.
Thanks for the ideas and laughs!
Both great advice, Cathryn! I think blood flow is key right now, and not slumping in a chair with a peppermint mocha latte. :D
Amen, Heather!
Thank you for expressing what I felt. By any chance, are you a writer?
The only thing I might add to your very savvy list is: pick a reasonable date to reinstate your accustomed energy and discipline. Betcha’ anything you are ready before then.
Oh, and Happy Holidays!
Thanks for that tip, Bob! I think I will pick a MUST GET BACK TO WORK date. :) I know you’re right, too. I’ll get antsy if I ignore my characters too long. I start to hear their voices in my head and I can’t sleep at night…
Happy holidays to you!
Torpor or no, I have long maintained that they picked the second-worst month of the year to have a writing marathon. Seriously – November? Not gonna happen.
When I am King, expect some changes, folks. Big changes.
Bigly, even.
Ha ha!!!! I will vote for you, King Cronin! I’m on board 100% with the idea of moving NaNo. Why must it be during the holiday season?! Terrible planning.
Also, I see your bigly and raise you a YUGE.
We’re writers, so we plumb the depths of experience for our material. Why should torpor not be given its due?
There’s a nifty cosplay Sloth outfit on Amazon which could be whisked to your door without your having to budge from the tub. Tucked into that, with the chocolate treat and beverage of choice, it might be interesting (for your family to watch and) for you to curl up on the couch under a fleece throw and contemplate (or verbally expound) on just how many of our genes we may have in common with bears, and their hibernating influences upon us.
Of course, you could order the bear cosplay costume, but the sloth adds more fun human irony, in judgmental consideration.
Ha ha!!! Thanks for the laugh, Emily. I want that sloth costume!
I’m having the same experience, Heather. The day before Thanksgiving, I skipped writing because I had to make pie. Thanksgiving Day there was no writing, obviously. And then the day after, I thought, well, just one more day off won’t hurt anything …
Add to this the fact that we’re having our house renovated, and it’s been very hard to focus on being creative.
That’s exactly how my thinking went, too, Linda. Plus my kids had half days at school so I had 2.5 hours to work…yeah, I grocery shopped and planned pies instead. :D
I feel like I’ve lost my coding mojo. I read your article about the yearn to create and it led me here. Coding is my creative outlet and I just can’t seem to find a personal project that I want to work on that will temporarily scratch my itch, and now it is turning into full on creative block. I guess Im looking to other creatives and how they keep inspired.
Love this post! I would like to point out that I am writing this comment while listening to holiday music because I can’t resist. So I don’t. Edit work while sipping coffee with that holiday-issue peppermint creamer in it? Yup, absolutely. Little twinkle lights somewhere near my desktop computer? Of course. Why not? Embrace it all, I say. Human beings are not mean to do nothing but work. And winter is long. There will be plenty of time for serious writing/editing/etc. in the depths of January. And for the stuff that can’t wait? Get it done with a plate of fudge by your elbow. That might be a good time to make use of your suggestion to work standing up.