Good morning all,
Imagine your soul sucked out by a dementor. That's what happens to a person when they are kissed by this horrific creature. Now imagine not being able to write a single word. That too, happens when a writer can't write. Our soul is sucked out of us.
Welcome to another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. This happens to ALL writers at one point or another.
Blame it on the dementors, or on our muse abandoning us. Same thing. One must also remember that our surrounding play a HUGE part in our anxiety to write.
I personally blame it on the dementors! They have been swooping around Chicago since I have returned from sunny Florida in May. Another day without sun. Chilly, overcast, and gray, the dementors are breading again. The fog is certainly on its way.
I know for some writers, this is perfect weather to create ... LUCKY YOU! Now, if I am writing some depressing, intense, drama, this does work for me too. BUT ONLY for a while. I am a creature of light. Without it, I wither.
Now that we know the problem, what do we do about it? Staying in bed with the cover over our heads may be a temporary solution, BUT it's not the answer.
For months I have been slacking off my own work, blaming the dementors, WORRIED I would never get to my work again. I threw myself into other projects. Critiquing, working on my condo, and just working on my current design project for a client. Hardly satisfying....
BUT, the funny thing is .... It worked! I am so wanting to work on my writing now! I have actually created a new query letter for my second novel. I even sent it out! I am going through one LAST revision, which is going amazingly well thanks to my wonderful Crit partner Suzi... who managed to point out so many fine little details to really tweak my ms. THANKS SUZI!!!!!
My cyber Sis, Siv, has hired me to create a cover for her new novel. So now another one of my creative outlet was fulfilled.
SO, if YOU are in a dementor induced slump, my advice to you is keep busy! With anything. Eventually your muse will be released by the dementors and you will be able to write again. Once you start, the fire will stoke, and you will BURN with passion for writing again. Our writing soul never truly leaves us.... it's only held captive for a while.
We all go through so many ups and downs in life. LIFE is TOUGH! And it seems to get more difficult as we get older. Yes, kiddies, enjoy your youth. We are all invincible in our twenties and thirties. Then reality hits. LIFE throws curve balls at you from EVERY direction. But age does have its rewards, we learn how to dodge those balls. It's amazing how limber we become, and experience does give us an edge.
Also remember the beauty in life. Never forget it! Because even in the dark and dank, something exquisite can be discovered. We just need to keep our eyes open to it.
Don't forget to read the other IWSG post for inspiration... Click here and you will be whisked away to another dimension.... The world of Alex J. Cavanaugh.... Thanks Alex for your continued support in our community and this wonderful group!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!
Imagine your soul sucked out by a dementor. That's what happens to a person when they are kissed by this horrific creature. Now imagine not being able to write a single word. That too, happens when a writer can't write. Our soul is sucked out of us.
Welcome to another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. This happens to ALL writers at one point or another.
I personally blame it on the dementors! They have been swooping around Chicago since I have returned from sunny Florida in May. Another day without sun. Chilly, overcast, and gray, the dementors are breading again. The fog is certainly on its way.
I know for some writers, this is perfect weather to create ... LUCKY YOU! Now, if I am writing some depressing, intense, drama, this does work for me too. BUT ONLY for a while. I am a creature of light. Without it, I wither.
Now that we know the problem, what do we do about it? Staying in bed with the cover over our heads may be a temporary solution, BUT it's not the answer.
For months I have been slacking off my own work, blaming the dementors, WORRIED I would never get to my work again. I threw myself into other projects. Critiquing, working on my condo, and just working on my current design project for a client. Hardly satisfying....
BUT, the funny thing is .... It worked! I am so wanting to work on my writing now! I have actually created a new query letter for my second novel. I even sent it out! I am going through one LAST revision, which is going amazingly well thanks to my wonderful Crit partner Suzi... who managed to point out so many fine little details to really tweak my ms. THANKS SUZI!!!!!
My cyber Sis, Siv, has hired me to create a cover for her new novel. So now another one of my creative outlet was fulfilled.
SO, if YOU are in a dementor induced slump, my advice to you is keep busy! With anything. Eventually your muse will be released by the dementors and you will be able to write again. Once you start, the fire will stoke, and you will BURN with passion for writing again. Our writing soul never truly leaves us.... it's only held captive for a while.
We all go through so many ups and downs in life. LIFE is TOUGH! And it seems to get more difficult as we get older. Yes, kiddies, enjoy your youth. We are all invincible in our twenties and thirties. Then reality hits. LIFE throws curve balls at you from EVERY direction. But age does have its rewards, we learn how to dodge those balls. It's amazing how limber we become, and experience does give us an edge.
Also remember the beauty in life. Never forget it! Because even in the dark and dank, something exquisite can be discovered. We just need to keep our eyes open to it.
Don't forget to read the other IWSG post for inspiration... Click here and you will be whisked away to another dimension.... The world of Alex J. Cavanaugh.... Thanks Alex for your continued support in our community and this wonderful group!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!
51 comments:
Glad you survived the Dementor. They can get pretty nasty. I think it's like everything else in life, there's highs and lows. Nobody can live at constant full-speed ahead, and it's best just to use those more difficult times to live and keep busy with other things. The writer in us won't die ;)
Glad you are jazzed up again! I believe creativity feeds itself. Just shift to something new to keep it going or recharge it.
Awesome you are doing a cover for SIV!
May your Fourth be sunny and dementor free!
Glad to hear you are getting your mojo back! Dull and grey in the UK and not very warm for July at the moment although the weather forecasters have promised us a scorching weekend.
Wonderful post Michael, I know who is sucking my soul and it isn't anything to do with writing.
Yvonne.
Michael, so happy you are out of your slump.
Age does make us wiser, although I'm not as good at dodging anymore.
I think you're so right. This summer, I swore I was going to NOT write and get my house in order. As soon as I wasn't pressuring myself to come up with stories, they have been flooding my brain. I can't get them out fast enough.
Glad to hear you've got your mojo back! Happy writing!
Glad you found your muse again! I always find that the more I write, even if I don't want to, the more inspiration strikes.
I think a break from writing is important, although sometimes it makes us feel guilty - a break is usually good for me and when I get back to the drawing board it seems to flow. Reading is usually the break I take - disappear from the dementors all together through words even if they belong to someone else, is therapy.
Good advice. I need my sun too! I have to let art soak into soul to be able to produce art. Just the way it is.
If it's sun you crave, you should visit Louisiana for a writing vacation -- of course your laptop would melt!
Sounds like your weather has been like ours: crappy! I think I've seen the sun one day out of the last ten. I'll be glad for a change in this weather pattern.
Michael, I am so glad you have found your muse again. Your post really speaks to me. While I have the creative desire to write, I simply don't have the time. So I feel like I'm in a dementor-induced state right now anyway. Thanks for always being so positive and inspiring. Hope you get great news from the query you sent!!!
Glad your muse returned. I agree that stepping back sometimes is the best way to fuel our creativity. Trying new things, seeing new places and people, can all stimulate our writing souls.
Never thought of it that way before. Dementors. Makes perfect sense. Well. Expecto Patronum, I say! :)
Glad you survived the Dementors Kiss. Happy that you are out of the slump.
Harry and I go way back so when I have probs he not only gets rid of the dementors with his stag but he kisses me to inspire my writing. He claims its a wizard spell but i ain't buying it...
So glad you beat the Dementors. Best of luck with the query and I know that cover you are designing will be fantastic. :)
I'm glad that you are out of the slump. They are never fun to be in but its always such a relief to be on the other side.
Working with my hands or hiking in the mountains always supercharges my muse. Sometimes a break is exactly what we need.
Those nasty Dementors are coming around here as well. I think they transport themselves in the cold grey air disquised as raindrops as they pour to the ground. Can't wait to share your cover design with everyone. Nothing can get the best of your talent!
Great to hear you're overcoming those pesky Dementors. Good luck with the query! :)
Great post, Michael! Glad you're feeling better. :)
IWSG #118 until Alex culls the list again.
Happy to see your muse escaped those dreaded dementors. :) I agree that our writing souls just need a break every once in a while, but as long as you keep working on creative projects, your brain can keep processing the world around you.
Great IWSG post!
Kim
(This Writer's Growing)
Michael, you are generally so positive and upbeat, that it's hard to imagine you in a slump. I'm glad to hear that you're over the worse and back in the swing of things...
Writer In Transit
Who could not read this post with your intriguing title? So agree about the Midwest weather lately. But at least there's no floods or fires.
Glad you're being productive. I totally agree about what you said about life in general. I'm in the middle of one of those crazy times when life throws you a curve you don't want but you must pick up the ball. Need to get my butt in the chair for writing too.
Oh I know full well I'm not invincible. I kind of wonder what life is going to be like for other people my age when they finally figure that out...
Funny enough, my writing is so much better when I don't pressure myself to do it. I have to WANT it, not feel like I HAVE to do it. Otherwise I'll never get around to it.
As for the light situation, maybe you should get one of those lamps that they put in reptile cages :D
Here in our neck of the woods, the weather sucks also. Humid, cloudy, storms nearly every day, but I'm one of those who love that weather to write in.
Glad you beat those dementors.
I believe your middle name is Determination-good for you! Wow, you've gotten a lot done :) You have a patronus, don't you?
Can we switch places, Michael??? LOL. I'm dyyyying here in the sunshine and heat... I can't write, can't even READ right now! My muse is GONE...
If only dementors would come sweep our little city out here... Oh to have rain and clouds and a bit of darkness! ;-)
But I'm SO GLAD you're rocking it right now! Ride the wave as long as you can!!!
A dementor induced slump, I love that! It's so nice to be able to blame something other than myself.
Keep busy!
Absolutely!
And keep that chocolate handy!
Heather
Good advice, Michael! Glad to hear that things are better for you.
Now I know who I can blame huh...the Dementors. I'm with you on the light, Michael. We had a few days of drizzle and little sun. Very hard for an Aussie to take. Thankfully the gorgeous winter weather is back with a vengeance.
Glad Suzi is able to help you with your novel. It's a hard slog, but will be worth it in the end.
Keep that muse fed and happy.
Denise
I do exactly the same thing. When I feel like writing just won't happen, I do anything else creative.
Nothing gets me back on track faster.
I thought that kiss was a bit weird! Now I realize it had Dementor written all over it. Glad you're working through those insecurities and getting back on track.
Chicago after Florida can be nothing less than a shock to the system.
Very true about those dementors. They do come in many forms and from many places--even the mirror. Fortunately, being hindered from writing can indeed stoke the desire and enthusiasm.
Hope the weather improves there. I love the light as well. Am glad to have a large window right next to me where I write. Thanks for talking about dementors!
Mary Montague Sikes
I can write in the storms, but this heat wave is sapping my energy. It hot in the house until too late to open any of my projects, and then I have to work during the week.
But I find keeping busy with other things does help. I've been cleaning my house, reading, and trying to keep my son occupied. And house hunting. I get lots of ideas for the layout of a house by visiting empty houses, lol.
Have a good weekend Michael. I'm sure you'll get back into the writing mode with a clear head.
.......dhole
Hi Michael .. life is tough.
However I'm glad things are coming right in your Dementor struck world - I really do not like the cold and dark - well heavens above on a clear night are just stunning .. and if there was no darkness we would not see the stars shining at us ..
I'm just coming out into the light again .. and have set my new projects on their projection forward .. it'll be a fun, hard work rest of the year ..
Good luck with all yours .. cheers Hilary
Lovely post, and so true!
Wishing you lots of luck with your new query! And the cover design too - that sounds like a fun project. I wish I could draw/design sometimes.
Bacci is adorable!
My Dementor is the 1001 things that pop up every day and require attention. It's always such a pleasure to get to my writing place and tune into my story world.
Happy Weekend!
I'm glad to hear you're back on track! :)
Good to hear you're feeling inspired to create again! :)
well if a dementor was a hot one, I wouldn't mind losing some things for a kiss :)
Yep, those pesky Dementors never seem to realize when they've overstayed their welcome and, you're right, as we get older, life seems to throw us more curves.
Our best bet is to step into those pitches and hit them out of the park.
Keep swinging, Michael and best of luck!! :)
Awesome analogy, Michael. You're spot on with this one!!! Sending the best of luck and positive vibes your way! xoxoxo
'ello, Michael. I'm so happy to hear that your muse is back, thrilled that you sent out that query, and ecstatic that you're doing Siv's cover!!! Can't wait to see it.
Hope you have some sun by now, creature of light. :) GREAT that you got your query letter done and sent out, woo! And yay for cover creation to fulfill other creative outlets. :)
I'm one of those people who love to write when it's pouring rain outside, no matter what kind of scene I'm writing. Then I don't feel guilty for staying inside. LOL
Yes. The best thing to do is keep writing, even if its nonsense. Something I did the other day.
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
Those demetors were hanging around here too it seems. Finally the sun has been sticking around lately. I love a good cloudy day with rainstorms, but not weeks on end.
You do cover design too? It seems like a lot of writers create (just for fun) covers for their books while they're querying or even before. I've never done that, but that'd be a good thing to help pass the time too. Or to maybe help you get back into writing if you're stuck. I may have to try that.
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