One step at a time.
Saturday was a rare Stay-Home-Day for me. (That’s what some of our grandchildren call Saturday. In my day, Saturday was called Cartoon Day, but now cartoons are on 24/7, so that doesn’t work. But, I digress.) Which is exactly what I did on Saturday!!!
For several days, I’ve been feeling these random writing projects swirling around in the atmosphere, and I had the distinct impression they were about to change trajectory and crush me like a meteor on a triceratops. (I don’t believe that theory, but I hope you get the picture.) Anyway, I woke up Saturday morning determined to conquer the swirl by lining all my projects up in order – on a legal pad – in neat columns with clear headings.
I spent the whole morning doing this. I sorted through old computer files and through stacks of notes on my desk. I researched markets. I updated my article tracker. And, I grew more miserable by the minute. By the time Wendell came home for lunch, I was on the deep purple side of depressed, and total darkness was just minutes away.
After lunch, I thought of chucking the whole thing and giving up writing all together. Again. Instead, I decided to open That One File I’ve been working on the last few weeks. I re-read what I had written, and… wait for it … the sun broke through! I loved the story. And I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. Suddenly I was a writer again.
Then, Dear Reader, I remembered the distinct nudge I get periodically during my prayer time. The nudge that says, “Stop worrying about what you should write next. Work on what you are writing now. I’ll let you know when to move on and what to do next. When the time is right.”
In other words, as they say in recovery circles, “Just do the next right thing.” Or, the next write thing in this case.
Strange, my weekend had a moment of purple despair as well. And I similarly clawed my way out. Or, to be honest, I’m still clawing. I’m so thankful you taught me how. 🙂
ha ha! That is one of the best lines ever: “the deep purple side of depressed, and total darkness was just minutes away.”
I laugh because I care. 🙂
Keep laughing, Felic. Serenity and I count on you to keep us sane. It’s a big job.
This is good stuff! You’ve got such a way with words, and I always look forward to reading your “next write thing.” (so clever, btw) : )
Or, so corny, Ruth 🙂
I remember Kathy the Writer! I, too, have had that same purple despair at my writing attempts. Lately, it’s been all about organizing. And I spend entire mornings gathering, filing, discarding, in an attempt to line it all up like an assembly line job. Unfortunately, my multi-tasking has apparently been renamed ADD, and I wonder now if I’ve ever really gotten anything fully finished. Hmmm… I shall let others do the organizing and watch what unfolds. I absolutamentally LOVE your site here!
Thanks, Vicki! Don’t despair, and don’t give up.