There's a lesson in here. I think.
In October 2017, I posted an article about a writer writing in The Zone in which a writer's narrow focus on a novel or story is sustained through the interruptions of working a full time job and other distractions. It's like being on another plane.
After retiring, I've been able to work nearly 10 hours a day on writing and remained in The Zone – focused like a laser beam – writing in a near trance – characters interrupting meals with their conversations. Scenes interrupting sleep.
In March 2021, during the pandemic, The Zone became elusive. Fear of family, friends, of my wife and myself going into a hospital and never returning. I narrowed my focus and managed to write but not as much.
Now, in March 2022, I feel out of The Zone and must work hard to focus. The lesson here for writers is to keep pushing, keep writing, even if it is only for a short time each day, even if you only get one sentence down. Stay with it and it will come. Over the last year the short stories and novel I wrote crawled out of my computer, but they came and came better than I thought they would going into each. Maybe I'm on automatic. Maybe a writer who has been writing for nearly forty years has developed an inner focus that gets me through.
Face it, writing is hard. I'm talking about the composition, putting fingers to keys and creating a story. Don't give up on a story and especially a novel. If it seems to die on you, let it sit and go back to it but never give it up.
I have always found the solution and if a little old guy like me can, any of you can.
It's not the inspiration but the work put in to get from the opening line to THE END. Others have said it more eloquently, but that's the way it is.
That's all for now.
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| www.ONeilDeNoux.com |
Well said, O'Neil. Keep doing what you're doing!
ReplyDeleteYes, an emphatic yes. Keep writing no matter how you feel about the work, the words coming out, the effort. Just keep going. And then one day it's easier and better.
ReplyDeleteThank you, O'Neill, for reminding me to write EVERY DAY. Regards, MJ
ReplyDeleteThank you, O’Neill…so nice to know I’m not alone in this. Some of the stories I’ve written in the past months have been pulled up from the depths of hell through the perseverance of simply doing the work, to trust I still have it in me, somewhere. The reward was worth it. But yeah, it’s hard, no doubt about that.
ReplyDeleteO'Neil, thanks for the post. I am trying to get back into the Zone - it's been a hard couple of years. I've managed to write a few stories, but my inner critic keeps telling me "not enough." We've just got to keep writing, even if it's only a little bit.
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