What's Your Writerly Craving?

It is like a hunger that won’t be satiated. A thirst that won’t be quenched. It seems like I drink and drink only to feel more parched. You know that mosquito bite on the arch of your foot? The one you scratch until it’s raw, but still itches? It’s like that. It feels like the need is eating away inside me and leaving a growing hollowness, like a big dying tree.

What is it? Come on, you’re a writer, you know.

The continual need to be published. The overwhelming desire to hear, “Yes, I want to publish this.” The satisfying validation that your work is good enough for someone to invest time and money into so that the world can enjoy it too. The comfort that only comes when you know your material is being read by the all-important READER!

Apparently having all day to write, research, submit doesn’t sate that hunger. Perhaps I’m in a transition period and the empty inbox at the end of the day won’t always inspire the crushing thought “I didn’t accomplish anything today.” Perhaps it is the uncharacteristic four straight days of rain that has me gloomy. All I know is that when my husband left for work this morning I was overwhelmed by my lack of participation in the well-being of the family.

I believe in my writing. I do. I do. I don’t feel so strongly about my ability to sell it, but I keep trying.  Who else out there understands that hollow spot inside that grows and shrinks with the content of the inbox or with a phone call? Who else assumes they need chocolate only to find you are still craving the elusive something afterward?

What does your craving feel like?

Comments

  1. Karen Jones GowenJuly 19, 2011 at 11:50 AM

    Oh yes, I know the feeling so very well. It is an actual ache, because writing is only part of the work. The other part is readers.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kai Strand, AuthorJuly 19, 2011 at 12:18 PM

    Yes, yes, yes! It's nice to have that feeling validated by another author! Thanks, Karen.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Susan Kaye QuinnJuly 19, 2011 at 5:44 PM

    Oh yeah. I feel it. I don't think there's an escape from it, at least I haven't found it yet. Just immersion in another story, which usually solves all my ills. Take care, friend!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beverly Stowe McClureJuly 19, 2011 at 7:26 PM

    Raising hand. I feel it. I feel it. Never satisfied. Want to write more. Publish more. Sell more.

    You're not alone.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Barbara WatsonJuly 20, 2011 at 6:56 AM

    Sometimes I feel like this because there's still so very much to do with my writing to make it worthy of publishing, and that discourages. But when writing lives inside who you are, you keep going.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kai Strand, AuthorJuly 20, 2011 at 7:35 AM

    Susan, it is a love/hate thing sometimes. But all worthwhile things are.

    Bev, now I know your secret to success, you feed your need!

    Barbara, I agree. Our writing can always grow and improve. Crit groups are priceless resources.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Susan Kaye Quinn, Author of Open Minds, Presents:

Image
Finding Time to Write the Sequel by Susan Kaye Quinn, author of Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) Even before I decided to self-publish my new paranormal/SF novel Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) , I knew it would be a trilogy. But once I had made the decision to publish, the need to get busy on the sequel(s) kicked into high gear. Except that I was also publishing a book. Most writers find it difficult to balance writing with all the other demands in life. Even people who are lucky enough to write full time (which I am, since I write while my kids are at school), there’s still a tug between writing time and all the other things that need to be done. Once you’re published, this all changes, and not for the better. Now, not only do you need to write and get the kids to school and get the laundry done, but you also need to market your book, which can mean everything from actually getting it published (edits, covers, websites, blogs)
Read more

Robot Writing - What It Is & How to Avoid It

Image
Many beginner writers fall into the habit of what I like to refer to as “robot writing.” It’s when you basically write your scenes like a grocery list. Ex: Marcy stood and walked across the room. Then she picked up the candle stick to inspect it. She blinked when she noticed the spot of dried blood. Marcy dropped the candlestick and ran from the room. I call it robot writing because when I'm reading it I tend to fall into a robotic pattern and start to sound like the robot from the old Lost In Space series. "Danger. Danger. Will Robinson." You may as well put numbers in front of each sentence: First Marcy stood and walked across the room. Second she picked up the candlestick to inspect it. Third she blinked when she noticed the spot of dried blood. Fourth she dropped the candlestick and ran from the room. Don’t get me wrong, robot writing is absolutely acceptable in your first draft, no matter your writing experience. Your first p
Read more

Don't Be Closed Minded. Read a Banned Book. #Giveaway

Image
On this list , compiled by the ALA, of the top 100 challenged books of the decades 1990-1999 and 2000-2009, I've read: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Adventure of Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Blubber Crank The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time The Dead Zone The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things Fat Kid Rules the World The Giver Harry Potter (series) The Hunger Games (series) The Kite Runner The Lovely Bones Olive's Ocean Speak Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes That Was Then, This Is Now Thirteen Reasons Why Twilight (series) A Wrinkle In Time I would recommend any of them, but especially the titles I've linked. The thing with me and banned books is that I don't get it. The banning thing. Why would you ever feel the right to keep a book out of the hands of other readers? Why would you feel you have the authority to say what some can and cannot read? Do you have the right to voice your o
Read more