I’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling

We write romance, right?  Hearwarming, mushy, (maybe) trashy, bittersweet, emotional, but above all, romance.  In my quest to staple my butt to the chair and write, I’ve noticed my productivity resembles one of those shaky rollercoaster rides that was put together by someone of dubuious skill, dexterity and mental capacity.   I sit, I start to write, sometimes it flows and sometimes, someone must have forgotten to turn on the spout.  The next day, I go back over what I wrote and most of the time, I can’t help but think “eewww”.. did I really write that?   The whole process reminded me of beer goggling.  You know what I’m talking about.  That amazingly hot guy from last night’s party who could beat Fabio in his early days?  Well in the harsh light of the morning, he looks more like a recent attendee of a Star Trek convention.

Just like beer goggling, I find myself writing goggling.   With a fresh set of the same eyes, I look over my writing and like many of our sisters have done with the Star Trek guy, I look at what I wrote and think, “Did I really do that?  But it looked so good last night.”

On a similar note, the same can be said for inspiration.   Is it true that the stars  have to align with the right constellation for me to feel and be productive?  Or is this an excuse for not writing?  When do you allow the overwhelming moments of life to interfere and when do you say that enough is enough and you can’t use that as a crutch forever?

So what exactly is my spoke in this wheel this time?  Okay, I’ll spill the beans.  My grandma is sick.  Really sick.  Hospital sick.   Between that, starting a new job, sick kids, new daycare, blah, blah, blah, I’m finding it very hard to feel productive.   And productive that’s emotion related romance is even harder.  Or maybe it’s just me.  Maybe others use those tough times as fodder for creativity.

That’s what I want to know.  If you’re feeling down, gloomy or uninspired, do you work better or worse?

 

4 thoughts on “I’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling

  1. Masha,
    I hope the best for your grandma and that things for you and your family get better soon.
    Beyond that, I know my most heartfelt and personally satisfying book came after one of the hardest and most devastating years of my life. So I think that funneling those darker moments into your writing can be a very good thing for the human soul.

  2. Masha,
    I cannot write at all when my life is overwhelming. Please give yourself a break. Take as long as you need to not write, and do not feel guilty about it! The inspiration will come back again when the time is right. Best wishes for your grandmother.

  3. Masha,

    I hope everything turns around soon! All my best to you and your family.

    In terms of writing, it just depends. Sometimes, during a bad run, writing is very cathartic. Other times, it just makes me feel more stressed. I think I’ve learned over the last year that if I’m not enjoying it and I’m feeling overwhelmed, it’s time to take a break. Period. Actually, that might be good advice on many levels.

    Take care – and try to take some time for yourself. 😉

  4. Masha,
    I’m the worst person to answer this question. I haven’t written a word in a long time. Each day I make up a new excuse. The kids are on my nerves. Commitments that eat up my time. A friend’s drama. It’s Tuesday. Yes. I’ve used that excuse, too. But, my question is why do we feel the need to even make up an excuse as to why we’re not writing? We should write because we HAVE to. You’ll know when it starts coming back. But, you know, sometimes it is a way to heal. That can be seen from journals and diaries. Sometimes when we struggle through life, we find a strength we didn’t know we had, and that strength finds an outlet. With writers, that outlet will be words. But sometimes it takes a while to get them out. Be patient with yourself! The words will come, and when they do, the feelings will come with them. Don’t doubt that.

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