Comments on: Pushing Through http://johnesimpson.com/blog/2010/02/pushing-through/ Ridiculous Pursuits, Solemn Matters Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:20:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: John http://johnesimpson.com/blog/2010/02/pushing-through/comment-page-1/#comment-13444 John Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:05:47 +0000 http://johnesimpson.com/blog/?p=6694#comment-13444 <strong>Linda:</strong> Hey, thanks for stopping by to let me know how it went! 3800 words is pretty darned good if you ask me. Especially for (as you say) a weekend's output, for <em>anyone</em> in a minister's family. (A favorite uncle of mine recently retired from the ministry, so I've seen what it's like.) Good job! Oh <strong>Moonie</strong>, shoot -- I didn't coordinate a darned thing. This year's go-round, success that it was, completely demonstrated to me the power of the moonrat. It was like having this snarling rodent on all our shoulders, urging us on. :)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13444','John'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13444','John','<strong>Linda:<\/strong> Hey, thanks for stopping by to let me know how it went!\r\n\r\n3800 words is pretty darned good if you ask me. Especially for (as you say) a weekend\'s output, for <em>anyone<\/em> in a minister\'s family. (A favorite uncle of mine recently retired from the ministry, so I\'ve seen what it\'s like.) Good job!\r\n\r\nOh <strong>Moonie<\/strong>, shoot -- I didn\'t coordinate a darned thing. This year\'s go-round, success that it was, completely demonstrated to me the power of the moonrat. It was like having this snarling rodent on all our shoulders, urging us on. :)'); return false;">Quote</a></div> Linda: Hey, thanks for stopping by to let me know how it went!

3800 words is pretty darned good if you ask me. Especially for (as you say) a weekend’s output, for anyone in a minister’s family. (A favorite uncle of mine recently retired from the ministry, so I’ve seen what it’s like.) Good job!

Oh Moonie, shoot — I didn’t coordinate a darned thing. This year’s go-round, success that it was, completely demonstrated to me the power of the moonrat. It was like having this snarling rodent on all our shoulders, urging us on. :)

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]]> By: moonrat http://johnesimpson.com/blog/2010/02/pushing-through/comment-page-1/#comment-13442 moonrat Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:49:14 +0000 http://johnesimpson.com/blog/?p=6694#comment-13442 this turned out so, so (not to overuse the word I already overuse, but) awesome. all the people on the map! all the stuff we got done! thanks so much for all the coordinating you did, JES!<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13442','moonrat'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13442','moonrat','this turned out so, so (not to overuse the word I already overuse, but) awesome. all the people on the map! all the stuff we got done! \r\n\r\nthanks so much for all the coordinating you did, JES!'); return false;">Quote</a></div> this turned out so, so (not to overuse the word I already overuse, but) awesome. all the people on the map! all the stuff we got done!

thanks so much for all the coordinating you did, JES!

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]]> By: Linda http://johnesimpson.com/blog/2010/02/pushing-through/comment-page-1/#comment-13436 Linda Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:55:43 +0000 http://johnesimpson.com/blog/?p=6694#comment-13436 Butt in chair works for me. I just have to sometimes accept that not a lot happens on some mornings (I write my @$$ off every morning before 7; kids and a minister for a hubby kind of wrecks weekend writing indulgences). I participated in the weekend, got 3800 new words out on two problem scenes, and a heck of a lot of revising. Your insight into kicking the muse into action was great, and next time I'm stuck I'll throw two stranger character together and see what pops out. Sure beats inventing an entirely new one (which I've done). More efficient. Peace, Linda<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13436','Linda'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13436','Linda','Butt in chair works for me.\r\n\r\nI just have to sometimes accept that not a lot happens on some mornings (I write my @$$ off every morning before 7; kids and a minister for a hubby kind of wrecks weekend writing indulgences). \r\n\r\nI participated in the weekend, got 3800 new words out on two problem scenes, and a heck of a lot of revising. \r\n\r\nYour insight into kicking the muse into action was great, and next time I\'m stuck I\'ll throw two stranger character together and see what pops out. Sure beats inventing an entirely new one (which I\'ve done). More efficient. Peace, Linda'); return false;">Quote</a></div> Butt in chair works for me.

I just have to sometimes accept that not a lot happens on some mornings (I write my @$$ off every morning before 7; kids and a minister for a hubby kind of wrecks weekend writing indulgences).

I participated in the weekend, got 3800 new words out on two problem scenes, and a heck of a lot of revising.

Your insight into kicking the muse into action was great, and next time I’m stuck I’ll throw two stranger character together and see what pops out. Sure beats inventing an entirely new one (which I’ve done). More efficient. Peace, Linda

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]]> By: John http://johnesimpson.com/blog/2010/02/pushing-through/comment-page-1/#comment-13356 John Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:58:22 +0000 http://johnesimpson.com/blog/?p=6694#comment-13356 <strong>Sherri:</strong> Yes, that's it for me, too -- just get moving, no matter what. When I'm working on something long -- which now that I think about it, is for me almost <em>anything </em>:) -- one of my favorite gimmicks on each succeeding day is to simply retype the final paragraph(s) from the previous one... and then not stopping. <strong>Squirrel:</strong> Right! That's the other unbreakable rule of mine -- routine. Compared to the giddy fire-in-the-brain experience of writing when inspired, it seems dull -- literally uninspired -- to just go through the same motions, at the same time, day after day. But I've found that this actually smooths the way for inspiration, encourages it to visit more regularly. It's like the difference between regularly maintaining a paved, well-lighted runway, ready for whatever flights to arrive from whatever exotic land -- vs. keeping that nearby field empty and unplowed just in case an airborne traveler has to make an emergency landing. (It also helps to be satisfied with smaller inspirations, like the surprising juxtaposition of two words or phrases. If I'd had to write just for the sake of novel plot twists and such, I'd have quit a long time ago.)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13356','John'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13356','John','<strong>Sherri:<\/strong> Yes, that\'s it for me, too -- just get moving, no matter what. \r\n\r\nWhen I\'m working on something long -- which now that I think about it, is for me almost <em>anything <\/em>:) -- one of my favorite gimmicks on each succeeding day is to simply retype the final paragraph(s) from the previous one... and then not stopping.\r\n\r\n<strong>Squirrel:<\/strong> Right! That\'s the other unbreakable rule of mine -- routine. \r\n\r\nCompared to the giddy fire-in-the-brain experience of writing when inspired, it seems dull -- literally uninspired -- to just go through the same motions, at the same time, day after day. But I\'ve found that this actually smooths the way for inspiration, encourages it to visit more regularly. It\'s like the difference between regularly maintaining a paved, well-lighted runway, ready for whatever flights to arrive from whatever exotic land -- vs. keeping that nearby field empty and unplowed just in case an airborne traveler has to make an emergency landing.\r\n\r\n(It also helps to be satisfied with smaller inspirations, like the surprising juxtaposition of two words or phrases. If I\'d had to write just for the sake of novel plot twists and such, I\'d have quit a long time ago.)'); return false;">Quote</a></div> Sherri: Yes, that’s it for me, too — just get moving, no matter what.

When I’m working on something long — which now that I think about it, is for me almost anything :) — one of my favorite gimmicks on each succeeding day is to simply retype the final paragraph(s) from the previous one… and then not stopping.

Squirrel: Right! That’s the other unbreakable rule of mine — routine.

Compared to the giddy fire-in-the-brain experience of writing when inspired, it seems dull — literally uninspired — to just go through the same motions, at the same time, day after day. But I’ve found that this actually smooths the way for inspiration, encourages it to visit more regularly. It’s like the difference between regularly maintaining a paved, well-lighted runway, ready for whatever flights to arrive from whatever exotic land — vs. keeping that nearby field empty and unplowed just in case an airborne traveler has to make an emergency landing.

(It also helps to be satisfied with smaller inspirations, like the surprising juxtaposition of two words or phrases. If I’d had to write just for the sake of novel plot twists and such, I’d have quit a long time ago.)

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]]> By: The Querulous Squirrel http://johnesimpson.com/blog/2010/02/pushing-through/comment-page-1/#comment-13346 The Querulous Squirrel Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:43:59 +0000 http://johnesimpson.com/blog/?p=6694#comment-13346 I have been trying to honor my story a day ritual which is working well for me given the tininess of my stories but it is getting harder and harder to come up with new ones and I have to spend a lot more time free associating crap and doodling before anything concrete or usable comes out. It is definitely taking me longer, two days instead of one, so that I finish one story each day and start another. That's my new rhythm for the most part, with some exceptions. Different things work for different people but the most important is some kind of commitment to regularly regardless of lack of inspiration.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13346','The Querulous Squirrel'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13346','The Querulous Squirrel','I have been trying to honor my story a day ritual which is working well for me given the tininess of my stories but it is getting harder and harder to come up with new ones and I have to spend a lot more time free associating crap and doodling before anything concrete or usable comes out. It is definitely taking me longer, two days instead of one, so that I finish one story each day and start another. That\'s my new rhythm for the most part, with some exceptions. Different things work for different people but the most important is some kind of commitment to regularly regardless of lack of inspiration.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I have been trying to honor my story a day ritual which is working well for me given the tininess of my stories but it is getting harder and harder to come up with new ones and I have to spend a lot more time free associating crap and doodling before anything concrete or usable comes out. It is definitely taking me longer, two days instead of one, so that I finish one story each day and start another. That’s my new rhythm for the most part, with some exceptions. Different things work for different people but the most important is some kind of commitment to regularly regardless of lack of inspiration.
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]]> By: Sherri http://johnesimpson.com/blog/2010/02/pushing-through/comment-page-1/#comment-13342 Sherri Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:54:04 +0000 http://johnesimpson.com/blog/?p=6694#comment-13342 I sometimes type nonsense or something related to the wip but which I know will not stay, just to get my fingers moving. It almost always works. Today was my WYAO day, but I think Thursday will work better for me. Guess I'd better go move my little green icon. :)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13342','Sherri'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13342','Sherri','I sometimes type nonsense or something related to the wip but which I know will not stay, just to get my fingers moving. It almost always works. Today was my WYAO day, but I think Thursday will work better for me. Guess I\'d better go move my little green icon. :)'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I sometimes type nonsense or something related to the wip but which I know will not stay, just to get my fingers moving. It almost always works. Today was my WYAO day, but I think Thursday will work better for me. Guess I’d better go move my little green icon. :)
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