TV and the Writing Process
I've been doing a big no-no for a writer. I've been watching too much television. The greats tell us that not writing everyday, not having a set schedule, and not avoiding that dastardly television set, will ruin us a writers. Watching TV doesn't require thinking. Instead, we should be reading a book, learning something new, possibly thinking deep thoughts.
It's enough to make self-doubt kick in. Maybe I'm not a good writer because I sit in front of the boob tube too much. Maybe I'm a worse writer because I don't have a set word count I stick to while working on my next book. Maybe I'm not even a writer at all because I don't do it every day. I can't tell you how many other writers I see that feel this same way and will stay up until the late hours just to get their word count in. I have to give them kudos because hard work really is the only way you will accomplish anything. But, at the same time, not everyone's process is the same.
So I call bull.
Let me count the ways that this line of thinking is detrimental to a writer like me.
1. I have children. A four year old and an eleventh month old. I would love to get back to the days of writing when I could go a day or two without sleeping or eating so I could get my chapters finished. But those days are long gone. My children come first. Once they're older it will be easier to get more work done, but right now, I am on their schedule. And not sleeping is not an option.
2. My husband works strange hours. He works in photography. Sometimes he is gone from six am to nine or ten at night. Sometimes he travels. It all depends on the job and they are all different from day to day. And if you're wondering how this affects my writing - please reread number one.
3. I like the idea of setting a word count for each day. I actually did the math not long ago to see how quickly I could complete my next manuscript. I'm thinking it will be in the 85-90k range and if I could do one thousand words a day, seven a week, then I could conceivably have a completed draft in twelve or thirteen weeks. Awesome! And it sounds super easy - until life happens. Kids, remember? But this is still a goal of mine. One of these days I will reach it!
4. Let's go back to the kids again. You may think I'm using them as an excuse, but for those of you who don't have any and may not know, they are more work than you think. With children, I have to have food in the house and snacks readily available for when little tummy's are hungry. I also have to have a clean house. These are important because if I fail to have either, I could lose my children. So, food, cleanliness, and let's add time. When my son is in school I have a little more time to work (if the house is already clean) but my littlest still wants mommy's attention. Then, the oldest comes home and needs attention. This is where the television comes in because with playing and watching the kids I can't exactly think, type or read. We do read children's books, but it's not the same.
5. I don't believe in only needing inspiration to write. Sometimes you have to muddle through the crap and get something on the page to get to the marrow. Then again, I also think that writing crap everyday can be deflating. If inspiration doesn't hit thirty minutes into typing or scribbling, then it is time to stop and think. Perhaps your outline needs rearranging. You don't always have to write in a linear fashion, skip ahead and find a scene that's been nagging you. Follow the inspiration, otherwise, you will be deleting all of the crap, or doing a major rewrite, because you just put whatever on the page all of the time. Getting your word count in is great, only if it isn't complete shit.
Number five is where TV comes in. I can't always find inspiration while reading. That is my time to enjoy. I like watching the scenes play out in my head and trying to insert myself as an extra character. That probably sounds strange, but don't deny it, you do the same thing. I don't want to compare their writing to mine. I don't want sit and brood that I didn't think of that idea first. I simply want to enjoy. And, if I'm not enjoying the book, I put it down and pick up another.
Movies are the complete opposite for me. My brain starts to whir with ideas when I see a great scene and hear well-written dialogue. I think, because, when I write dialogue, I actually picture it as a movie. I speak it out loud, too. If it doesn't work out loud, it won't work on the page. Envisioning my work in this way helps it to flow. Now, things don't always translate because everyone reads and puts inflections in different places, but I find it helps. And if the movie is boring, I can always pick up a book!
The writing process is different for all of us. I wish I could be as diligent as some of you other writers who can devote all of your time to your work. I don't mean that to sound snotty. I really do wish I could have more 'me' time sometimes, but I have a family to take care of. We all make choices. I chose family, and I wouldn't change it for the world. I think, though, even after I have more writing time, I will probably still watch too much television. I couldn't live without my cartoons!
It's enough to make self-doubt kick in. Maybe I'm not a good writer because I sit in front of the boob tube too much. Maybe I'm a worse writer because I don't have a set word count I stick to while working on my next book. Maybe I'm not even a writer at all because I don't do it every day. I can't tell you how many other writers I see that feel this same way and will stay up until the late hours just to get their word count in. I have to give them kudos because hard work really is the only way you will accomplish anything. But, at the same time, not everyone's process is the same.
So I call bull.
Let me count the ways that this line of thinking is detrimental to a writer like me.
1. I have children. A four year old and an eleventh month old. I would love to get back to the days of writing when I could go a day or two without sleeping or eating so I could get my chapters finished. But those days are long gone. My children come first. Once they're older it will be easier to get more work done, but right now, I am on their schedule. And not sleeping is not an option.
2. My husband works strange hours. He works in photography. Sometimes he is gone from six am to nine or ten at night. Sometimes he travels. It all depends on the job and they are all different from day to day. And if you're wondering how this affects my writing - please reread number one.
3. I like the idea of setting a word count for each day. I actually did the math not long ago to see how quickly I could complete my next manuscript. I'm thinking it will be in the 85-90k range and if I could do one thousand words a day, seven a week, then I could conceivably have a completed draft in twelve or thirteen weeks. Awesome! And it sounds super easy - until life happens. Kids, remember? But this is still a goal of mine. One of these days I will reach it!
4. Let's go back to the kids again. You may think I'm using them as an excuse, but for those of you who don't have any and may not know, they are more work than you think. With children, I have to have food in the house and snacks readily available for when little tummy's are hungry. I also have to have a clean house. These are important because if I fail to have either, I could lose my children. So, food, cleanliness, and let's add time. When my son is in school I have a little more time to work (if the house is already clean) but my littlest still wants mommy's attention. Then, the oldest comes home and needs attention. This is where the television comes in because with playing and watching the kids I can't exactly think, type or read. We do read children's books, but it's not the same.
5. I don't believe in only needing inspiration to write. Sometimes you have to muddle through the crap and get something on the page to get to the marrow. Then again, I also think that writing crap everyday can be deflating. If inspiration doesn't hit thirty minutes into typing or scribbling, then it is time to stop and think. Perhaps your outline needs rearranging. You don't always have to write in a linear fashion, skip ahead and find a scene that's been nagging you. Follow the inspiration, otherwise, you will be deleting all of the crap, or doing a major rewrite, because you just put whatever on the page all of the time. Getting your word count in is great, only if it isn't complete shit.
Number five is where TV comes in. I can't always find inspiration while reading. That is my time to enjoy. I like watching the scenes play out in my head and trying to insert myself as an extra character. That probably sounds strange, but don't deny it, you do the same thing. I don't want to compare their writing to mine. I don't want sit and brood that I didn't think of that idea first. I simply want to enjoy. And, if I'm not enjoying the book, I put it down and pick up another.
Movies are the complete opposite for me. My brain starts to whir with ideas when I see a great scene and hear well-written dialogue. I think, because, when I write dialogue, I actually picture it as a movie. I speak it out loud, too. If it doesn't work out loud, it won't work on the page. Envisioning my work in this way helps it to flow. Now, things don't always translate because everyone reads and puts inflections in different places, but I find it helps. And if the movie is boring, I can always pick up a book!
The writing process is different for all of us. I wish I could be as diligent as some of you other writers who can devote all of your time to your work. I don't mean that to sound snotty. I really do wish I could have more 'me' time sometimes, but I have a family to take care of. We all make choices. I chose family, and I wouldn't change it for the world. I think, though, even after I have more writing time, I will probably still watch too much television. I couldn't live without my cartoons!
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