Getting Back Into It

Now that Christmas and the New Year holidays are in the past, it’s time to get back into a working pattern. If you’re anything like me, holiday leisure time leaves little room for writing projects because there are other things going on. Now is the time to return to normalcy.

I think it’s good to take breaks from writing, especially around holidays or vacations. Let your mind unwind a bit, and enjoy time with family and friends. Just don’t let your mind wander so far that you can’t bring it back.

I find that the sooner I get back to writing after a break, the more likely it is that I’ll stick to it. Projects that are left for too long on my desk get dropped. It’s more difficult to return to the frame of mind I was in when I began a story if I leave it for too long. Completed drafts are easier to pick up, but incomplete rough drafts become cloudy in my mind.

Another thing to keep in mind is not to overdo it. Return to a similar pace that you had before. People make all kinds of outlandish New Year’s resolutions, and I’m sure that in the writing world, such resolutions become goals for how many more words per day to write or how many more stories, etc. Just focus on getting back to your usual pace first. Then ramp up when you can, if you really want to. Of course, ramping up to anything more than your usual pace means taking time from somewhere else, so where will it come from?

Noted

I think it’s important to take notes for works of fiction. Whether jotting down ideas for new stories or tweaks to existing stories, notes increase the chance of retaining flashes of brilliance.

Keep something with you at all times that you can use to record notes. Maybe it’s a paper notebook, but with technology advances, you might use a laptop, PDA or cell phone. Sometimes I email myself reminders if I don’t have a scratchpad within reach.

Try to limit your notes to the barest of essentials for recalling the ideas. This isn’t the same as creating a storyboard or a plotline. These are simply references to something greater in your brain. It might be something like: “Use mace, not sword” to indicate a character’s weapon or “Send Joe with Sue to cave.” My notes tend to look like incoherent thoughts, but that’s okay as long as my stories don’t.

If you’ve ever found yourself trying to recall a good idea that you had earlier and just can’t draw it back out, you can understand the importance of putting such hooks in place. Relying on memory alone isn’t completely reliable.

The Magicera's Confession

My short story, "The Magicera’s Confession," is now available on MindFlights. I’m excited about seeing another publication before the end of the year. This is my second publication with MindFlights. Here’s the teaser: Beaten and exhausted, Thadryn's prospect is grim. Even if no one listens, he's willing to tell his tale.