Writers are very familiar with my little goblin, Guilt. Maybe theirs is taller and has a big spear, but the end result is the same. Jab. Jab. Jab.
There are times when Guilt is useful: "Watching that episode of 'Downton Abbey' for a -third- time? Go write, you lazy schlub."
Thanks, Guilt.
To complicate matters, social media often dials into our sense of NOW, do it NOW, or you'll fall behind. Who doesn't feel a sense of urgency when you hear of other writers getting book deals, getting published, getting awards and kudos and you can't help but think "AIGGGGHH! Why isn't this manuscript done?"
The good news: for most of us, the only deadline is our self-imposed one. So cut yourself some slack. Do something other than write. Read a book, take a walk, watch a ball game, talk to a friend, cook an amazing meal and eat it, stare at your ceiling and play with your cat.
Let us collectively give ourselves permission to rest our creative brain. Ruining your health to satisfy your own inner deadline monster is a disaster. And, I hate to say it, but Guilt is never happy. He will keep jabbing you as long as you let him.
Your book will be there when you return, I promise. It's sitting right there, beaming contentedly. And you may find that when you come back it is far easier to edit and tweak, now that you have some space.
Thus, my house is now officially a NO GUILT ZONE.
Sorry, Guilt.
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This post was inspired by a conversation with my writing group, The NoInklings. Deep gratitude to Angie, Angela, Ali, Cara, Dasia, Daniel, Lillie and Ruth for keeping me sane during bouts of Guilt. And Laziness, my other goblin, but that is for another post.
Goblin image courtesy of the magnificently talented Tony DiTerlizzi.
Awesome post, couldn't agree more. Guilt makes you feel like you HAVE TO write in every moment, even when you're frying pancakes and brushing your teeth. It drains your creativity and (as I can attest to) doesn't raise your productivity much either. Yay for your NO GUILT ZONE! I should try that :D
ReplyDeleteYou absolutely must try it, Dasia! And then you must come over to my house and fry me up some pancakes so that we can both thwart Guilt together! ;)
DeleteNice description of guilt.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gayle! He's one of the many cast of otherworldly characters who likes to people my world.
DeleteOh my stars and whiskers! You must have been reading my mind because LOOK what I wrote last night when I nearly couldn't keep my eyes open and still wanted to write;
ReplyDeletehttp://cameron-writes.blogspot.fr/2012/05/i-will-write-promise.html
My goblin isn't like that - she's a tall, thin elementary school teacher dressed all in beige with a great line in humiliation and sarcasm. I think I might shut her in the woodshed.
That post was a real boost. Thank you xx