Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
Craving The Cave
There are few things an author enjoys quite so much as finishing a book and putting it to bed. It's polished. It's pretty. It's--for the moment--flawless and needs to be left alone. And when this happens, we finally pick up our heads and survey the disaster that has become of our homes while we were in our stories, while we were immersed in "The Cave".
Laundry piled up over the heads of loved ones.
Dishes no one else considered washing.
Trash no one else thought of taking out.
And dear God, what is that smell?
After a deadline or two, that's all expected. But there's one thing out there that happens to all of us that none of us really see coming.
You see, after a book is done, even if we have a new idea we're hot to trot on, we look forward to a few days story free. Some time to catch up with real life, without undue pressure, and take care of the errands we put off. Paying bills, buying groceries, watching movies and reading books. Taking care of promotional items and the like, deciding what to do for what book and taking stock of what the next step will be. After a few days of this, I'm telling you...most writers are already jonesing for the sweet solitude of the writing cave, where time stops in your head and houses clean themselves.
There's something to be said for having a singular purpose. One primary goal that one can concentrate on to the exception of all others. Hubby and I were talking the other day and he's the type who focuses like a laser on one thing and one thing only at a time. This bothers him about me, because I can't concentrate unless I'm doing at least two things at a time. So, meaningful conversation while doing nothing else? Erm...no. I have to be folding something or fixing something with my hands or I lose total track of what he's talking about. Of course, he's insulted that I'm not giving my full attention. He gets MORE insulted if I fall asleep, because my mind has drifted away, but there's not a lot I can do to appease him. It's just not the way I'm made.
Unless I'm in the Cave.
Phone ringing? Too bad, I'm in the Cave.
Hungry? Too bad, I'm in the Cave.
Favorite TV show on? Awww, too bad, I'm in the Cave.
The whole time I'm in there, I can't wait to get out. But here I am, starting my third week in the bald sunlight of regular life, no project on the table because I'm doing all the stuff that piled up while I was in there and I'm banging at the big rock in front of the door. I need a Cave. No one needs clean socks. I don't really want to pay those bills. And I'm really not looking forward to cleaning my bathroom.
So why can't I bring that focus to the other parts of my life? Why am I always surprised to want to be back to it when I'm finally free?
What about all of you? Is there anything in your life you look forward to finishing, then finding yourself at loose ends once it's done?
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I hear ya
When I was teaching, I used to hate summer vacation -- it was like 9 months of GOGOGO-STOP! And I would find that by the time I adjusted to not working, it was time to work again. Luckily, at some point summer courses came around, and I could teach part of the summer (a lot of what I didn't like was no money over the summer, too), but I am glad to be out of that schedule. It was hard on the psyche, and basically I changed jobs every 15 weeks, new courses, new students. There was a good side to that, and a bad.
With books, yes, sort of the same -- I love the writing for a while, then the honeymoon is over and I want it DONE (Can you guess where I am right now?) And then I will have blissful days where I do whatever I want, and don't feel the pressure, and tinker with new ideas or edits etc -- but then, if that time drags on for too long, it can be the devil. I went through some of those uncontracted gaps in the last year or so, and now I am in the opposite -- I'll pretty much be writing constantly for the next 18-20 months, though it should be one project at a time, so that's not too bad (right now as you know, I am finishing up multiples, and that gets a little wearing...). I have good focus, I like to focus, until I start getting tired and focus becomes more of a physical exercise, stamina, rather than a natural occurrence. ;)
But, always say, better too busy than not busy at all. I like the balance of maybe one project that NEEDS doing, one that WANTS doing (but is flexible) and then time to do other things, and that balance does happen, but then we all go through the extremes of the crunch times and the open, aimless times. I guess over all it balances out in the long run...
Sam
Out of the cave
I just sent in the line edits for my December book so I'm officially out of the cave. I must say, I was a bit shocked to find out exactly how much of a shambles the life outside had become while I was sequestered. Granted, I was consumed for most of a year, but honestly...things are a mess.
I've been enjoying myself very much in this down time, though. Taking in baseball games with the kids. Focusing on what I'm doing instead of tending to the low-level worry about "the book." Starting a project with a reasonable expectation of finishing. Braving "bigger" projects like a garden because I'm not afraid of a looming deadline. I'm remembering what it feels like to only have 1 job. ;-)
There's a part of me that's wishing for a deadline because...well, you all know why. Deadlines provide the sweet excitement. The edge. But I'm going to savor this time right now. Going to get a bunch of stuff done so the next time I find myself in the cave, I'll know things outside were in good shape when I left them. ;-)
Hi All!!
(waving madly so you see me!!)
Since I'm STILL unemployed (but I won't bore you all with that) I've been cleaning. And I don't mean just the surface stuff that needs to be done. I've moved beyond the closets and cupboards. I've washed walls, dusted air vents, washed and repacked the good china.
Just last week I washed down my fireplace brick...with a paintbrush!
I keep reading that this time is supposed to be good for reflection and I suppose it is but...
It's kind of like buying new carpeting and seeing that your window treatments need refreshing. I just see more and more things around the house that need to be cleaned.
And while it's nice to live in such a shiny place now, I'm tired of it. I want back my routine of going to an office, going to lunch, wondering when I'm going to have time to clean out that cupboard that's overflowing.
Yeah, my house looks GREAT but I miss my routines.
Dee, I'm available for cleaning and have learnt I'm quite good at it.
Call me.
ani