Monday, August 4, 2008

Obsession

I have been writing all morning on this new novel and am alternately excited, terrified and obsessed by it. I don't know if I can pull it off, but I'm so drawn to it, that I can't stop. My friend, the writer Rochelle Shapiro, told me that I've been wanting to write this particular novel for years but never could figure the right way into the story. Which goes to show you that ideas can simmer like soup, that sometimes there is indeed a right time to write something, and this is also a great nudge for all writers to keep notebooks of ideas, to never throw anything out. It may not work now, but it could ferment into something later.

That actually was the case with my first novel, Meeting Rozzy Halfway, which began as a story that I struggled over for two years. I couldn't get it--it was forced and wrong and it was written from a child's point of view about why her father was so terrifyingly distant. After a particularly bad week of writing, something sort of revealed to me. I don't know where it came from, but this voice emerged, and I began writing the beginnings of the story from an adult point of view. Ah, the mysteries of creativity!

On other mysterious fronts, our TV is possessed. We had DISH and the TV kept stopping so after four different replacement boxes, we went to DIRECT TV. Same problem, even worse. Now we have Optiumum and guess what happened? I think an electrician has to get in here, which will probably cost the price of a small country. Has anyone ever had such a problem?

Back to writing. I feel like I want to write all day, but I'm anxious about the well running dry. I love the sensation that all is great and tomorrow I can't wait to get back to my desk. Which is another question: When do you know when to stop writing for the day?

4 comments:

  1. Oh Caroline...so good to hear that you are on a writing roll!~

    I can not help you with the possessed TV...is it choosing what you watch? If it is making you watch bad reality programs over and over...then it really is possessed!

    As for when to stop writing...I like to write until I am too tired to write anymore...but I still have more in me...just enough to know where I will start the next day.

    Happy writing!
    G :)

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  2. go go go - the well won't run dry!

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  3. I usually stop when my head starts to hurt and swirl- if I am lucky enough to get in that wonderfully obsessed mode.

    I still cant get over how you do it with a child at home though- and in the summer. Such distractions to overcome.

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  4. Caroline:

    I seriously believe your comments about writing time and the haunted TV are deeply connected on the metaphysical plane. This is to say, in addition, that they have significant implications regarding your spiritual growth and development as a writer. I know this must sound confusing, so let me give it to you in a nutshell:

    The universe is telling you to write more and watch less TV.

    If you have any questions, just email me and I'll give you the long explaination.

    David G

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