Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Hobbies, Crafts, and Collections -> The Imamother Writing Club
How do you detach from your writing assignment



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother
White


 

Post Tue, Jan 22 2019, 9:01 pm
I have this love/hate relationship with writing. When I’m good at it, I’m great at it. But lately I started resenting it deeply.

When I write freely, I enjoy it. I love working with words and bringing thoughts to life.

But when I have a writing assignment and writer’s block sets in and stubbornly refuses to leave, one assignment can end up taking over my life for 2-3 weeks. And what ends up as a full time job only leaves me with a paycheck of one day’s work.

This comes at the price of not being “there” with my children. I’m not focused. Everything gets overwhelming and highly stressful.

I’d love to set aside time for work and detach the rest of the time. But writing can’t be forced. You can’t fit it neatly in a little time box. Ideas come and go randomly. And it’s the randomness of though that in the end makes the article flow.

Ok my mind is overwhelmed right now so I don’t even know if I’m getting my thoughts out clearly.

But if you write for pay, how do you juggle the thought train and family life?
Back to top

amother
Honeydew


 

Post Tue, Jan 22 2019, 9:07 pm
I stash notepads all around the house. I tend to think of random snippets and ideas at the most inopportune times, and by the time I get to my computer they're gone. So I am constantly scribbling little notes to myself - it takes seconds and doesn't detract from my attention to my family.

That's one tip that helps. But it's a really hard juggling act!
Back to top

amother
Linen


 

Post Tue, Jan 22 2019, 9:47 pm
I so relate... writing reminds me of childbirth Wink
Back to top

amother
White


 

Post Tue, Jan 22 2019, 9:52 pm
amother wrote:
I so relate... writing reminds me of childbirth Wink


Because?

It dragged on for hours, then suddenly bam it’s all out? And you’ve been swearing not to do it again, but suddenly the baby’s there and you’re so proud of your work that you irrationally do it again?
Back to top

ora_43




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Feb 03 2019, 3:02 pm
Writing absolutely can be forced.

That's the secret to making money from writing, no matter what kind. You have to keep writing even when you have no idea what to say.

Once you get into the habit, you realize that the feeling of "nothing to say" isn't really nothing to say. You have thoughts about the topic. You have ideas. It's just that you also have an Inner Editor sitting there ruling them out before they're fully fledged - "that's dumb," "that doesn't sound right," "I don't like that word," etc.

Writing even when you feel like you have no ideas shuts the Inner Editor up. And then the words come. Now - will all the words be good ones the first time? Probably not. But you'll write 1,000 words and find that 500 of them are actually pretty decent, and hey, that's 500 more than you would have had if you'd waited for all 1,000 to come to you in a flash of inspiration.

Also, the more time you spend on a story, the more it's at the front of your mind, and the more your creative mind focuses on it. In other words, the more you write, the more inspired you get.
Back to top

ora_43




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Feb 03 2019, 3:15 pm
Another thing. Think of it as a funnel. Information/ideas > writing > finished product. If you're really stuck with writing, try focusing on information/ideas. Instead of writing words think about what you could write about, directions you could take, and what exactly you want to convey.

For example:

- you're writing a story about a fictional couple having a fight, but it's just not working. Look at each character separately and think about exactly what they are feeling at every moment in the fight (even the parts that aren't written yet). Think about two or three different directions the fight could take.

- you're writing an academic paper about a political issue and keep getting stuck. Break it down - which concepts do you need to introduce? What background? Which specific incidents will best illustrate your point? How many pages will you write about each? Do you know exactly what you want to say, and if not, which parts are you still not sure about?

- you have to write an article about vacationing as a frum person, and can't think of what to talk about. List every single issue you can think of - kosher food, Shabbat, tznius, etc, look for frum people's travel stories, think of different kinds of personal stories you could include. Basically, gather enough information/topics for 3 articles, and then decide what to include. Remember, you can always delete what you've written (or save it for a different assignment).

ETA - I didn't really talk about the other side, how not to let writing take over your life. I think it's the natural outcome of findings ways to write even when you're not feeling it. When you're able to write at the times that you have set aside for writing, then it becomes easier to have times when you focus fully on other things. Random writing-related thoughts will still come to mind, but there won't be all the stress of "I have to immediately switch to dealing with this thought right now because this is my one chance to write." Instead you can just think "hmm, interesting idea, I'll make a note to myself and hopefully remember that later."
Back to top

amother
White


 

Post Sun, Feb 03 2019, 3:19 pm
ora_43 wrote:
Writing absolutely can be forced.

That's the secret to making money from writing, no matter what kind. You have to keep writing even when you have no idea what to say.

Once you get into the habit, you realize that the feeling of "nothing to say" isn't really nothing to say. You have thoughts about the topic. You have ideas. It's just that you also have an Inner Editor sitting there ruling them out before they're fully fledged - "that's dumb," "that doesn't sound right," "I don't like that word," etc.

Writing even when you feel like you have no ideas shuts the Inner Editor up. And then the words come. Now - will all the words be good ones the first time? Probably not. But you'll write 1,000 words and find that 500 of them are actually pretty decent, and hey, that's 500 more than you would have had if you'd waited for all 1,000 to come to you in a flash of inspiration.

Also, the more time you spend on a story, the more it's at the front of your mind, and the more your creative mind focuses on it. In other words, the more you write, the more inspired you get.


I hear you. Especially about criticizing our inner editor. And I’d agree that you can do forced writing with stories and ideas.

But when it’s a very specific topic, for example research-based, informational topics, products etc, how do you just “let it flow”?
Back to top

ora_43




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Feb 03 2019, 3:46 pm
I think the same general idea. Go ahead and write words without worrying if they're good or not, just make sure they're about the right topic. Eventually it starts to flow, or it doesn't quite flow but gives you an idea for a new direction.

Sometimes if it's more informational it helps me to think of how I'd describe it to a someone else. Like, I'm sitting with a friend who's curious about how Israel's policy of deterrence has changed over the years, what do I tell her? If someone asked me "so what are the issues with going on vacation as a frum woman?" or "I've been thinking of traveling, where would be a good place to go?" what would I say? Etc.
Back to top

amother
White


 

Post Sun, Feb 03 2019, 3:50 pm
ora_43 wrote:
I think the same general idea. Go ahead and write words without worrying if they're good or not, just make sure they're about the right topic. Eventually it starts to flow, or it doesn't quite flow but gives you an idea for a new direction.

Sometimes if it's more informational it helps me to think of how I'd describe it to a someone else. Like, I'm sitting with a friend who's curious about how Israel's policy of deterrence has changed over the years, what do I tell her? If someone asked me "so what are the issues with going on vacation as a frum woman?" or "I've been thinking of traveling, where would be a good place to go?" what would I say? Etc.


You’re right... I do tend to focus on the details, and on the end result wording... I’ll have to let go.
Back to top
Page 1 of 1 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Hobbies, Crafts, and Collections -> The Imamother Writing Club

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Writing a book help
by amother
5 Thu, Feb 29 2024, 3:20 am View last post
Writing for a magazine
by chakie
0 Thu, Feb 15 2024, 6:03 pm View last post
Writing as a side job
by amother
12 Mon, Jan 15 2024, 9:13 pm View last post
Song writing as a hobby
by amother
1 Mon, Dec 18 2023, 1:43 pm View last post
Writing courses? App?
by amother
6 Thu, Dec 07 2023, 1:02 am View last post