Patience Problem

[AngylBelle]

Gosh I feel like I am in therapy...I might as well flow with that:

Hi, my name is AngylBelle and I have a problem.

I do not know about others but I go on writing binges. I have this dilemma where I write and write and write and write for an entire day straight, not just because the juices are flowing but because I "lose the mood" quickly. If I don't finish writing in a certain period of time, the mood is gone and I completely lose interest in finishing my work. I have always had this problem, especially looking back on my early teens and regular essay assignments/homework given in school. If I didn't sit down and write from start to finish, it wouldn't get done, and believe it or not, those were my best pieces.

What have others done to overcome impatience? How do I train myself to re-focus so I can continue something previously started? It is to the point now where I dread beginning a new piece out of fear of not being able to finish it in one sitting because I know I will abandon it if I don't. So, rather than hyping up on caffeine for two days straight, what can I do to push myself out of my comfort zone, set an incomplete work aside and return to it later with the same pizzazz as before?

 

[AngylBelle]

*Bump* (Sorry, but I am still looking for advice...)

 

[rstrahan]

When you learn to play the piano, you don't practice one day, walk away, then come back a couple of weeks later thinking you can pick right back up. Writing is like any other skill. You have to discipline yourself to write regularly.

Think about this. You discipline yourself to go to work daily, to do your chores daily, to do whatever you have to do daily. Writing is the same thing.

 

[pepet]

Ugh! Writing sounds like such a chore!

I have been through what you have been through and I must say that sometimes it just pays to put your project to the side and find some other diversion to clear your mind.

For me, a brisk thirty minute walk through the neighborhood does the trick. I get to marvel at God's creation: rabbits chomping on clover, crepe myrtles in full bloom, gardens alive with colors, etc. After I return I take a shower and am usually able to get my mind back on track again. Sometimes reading the Psalms can be a point of inspiration too.

I am wondering if the topic you are writing on stimulates your interest? If not, consider writing on something else. I have learned that some topics I just have no interest in, thus I stay away from them. Concentrate on those subjects you find interesting and your writings will flourish.

Reignite your passion and it will flow through your writings!

 

[Kaylee4Christ]

I have the same problems. Even though I love writing so much, it's just hard to focus, focus, focus. You just need to sort of discipline yourself to do it, or start teaching yourself day by day to write more. Practice makes perfect. If you don't work on your problem it will never be fixed.

Kay

 

[lsholes]

Sometimes you can be on a roll and other times dead dry. My advice if you are serious about your writing is to write through the dead dry times. The spark will pick up again. When writing becomes your business, then you show up at work whether you are in the mood to work that day or night. All writers suffer from the same spurts of creativity and dry spells. I think it was Nora Roberts that said "I only like to write when I'm inspired and I see to it that I'm inspired every morning at 9 o'clock." Thought that was well said. Good luck. Lynn www.lynnsholes.com www.grailconspiracy.com

 

[thenightmarehero]

Gosh I feel like I am in therapy...I might as well flow with that:

Hi, my name is AngylBelle and I have a problem.

I do not know about others but I go on writing binges. I have this dilemma where I write and write and write and write for an entire day straight, not just because the juices are flowing but because I "lose the mood" quickly. If I don't finish writing in a certain period of time, the mood is gone and I completely lose interest in finishing my work. I have always had this problem, especially looking back on my early teens and regular essay assignments/homework given in school. If I didn't sit down and write from start to finish, it wouldn't get done, and believe it or not, those were my best pieces.

What have others done to overcome impatience? How do I train myself to re-focus so I can continue something previously started? It is to the point now where I dread beginning a new piece out of fear of not being able to finish it in one sitting because I know I will abandon it if I don't. So, rather than hyping up on caffeine for two days straight, what can I do to push myself out of my comfort zone, set an incomplete work aside and return to it later with the same pizzazz as before?

What you can do is NOT obsess over your writing for some time, then when you have the urge to write write for one hour, no more. use an alarm to do this. The trick is to get rid of your fear of losing interest in your writing. Your mind is telling you that it loves writing by the very fact that you are writing for so long. Have confidence in yourself that you won't lose interest if you put the pen down. The way you can have confidence in yourself is by persueing other hobbies of interest. If you are worrried about forgeting about a nifty idea or peom that you come up with in your mind, then your best bet to save these precious thoughts as quickly as possible is to buy a digital voice recorder. You can buy a good Olympus 50 minute recorder for forty or thirty dollers. This circumvents the process of having to carry a notebook and pen with you at all times. Train yourself to record your thoughts with this recorder instead of with a pen, that way you condition yourself to be rid of your obsession with writing your ideas down and your fear of losing them.