While I’m over here today, my author-friend Brenda Pandos is
at my blog as part of her tour for the release of her first audiobook. Brenda
and I had the immense pleasure of getting together last week for some writerly
hooligans. She came to Florida all the way from California and, along with my
publisher, we made the drive to Islamorada in the Florida Keys.
Originally, this was supposed to be a writers’ retreat where
we would spend lots of quiet-time writing and break-time talking about writing.
Brenda did write a little, but since I’m doing NaNoWriMo this year, I’m in the
planning stages and was only able to write one page of notes. So, uh, no, we
weren’t overly productive. At least…not on the surface.
What we did accomplish, however, was filling our creative
wells. Every creative-type needs to do this, and it’s especially important
after the completion of a big project (like releasing a novel), when our wells
are likely depleted. Filling the well involves exploration of new things,
reading, watching TV, movies and live performances, listening to music, and
just plain living life.
These experiences inspire new ideas, create new connections
in our brains, provide fresh perspectives and give us fodder to make our stories
and characters come alive with details we wouldn’t be able to capture
otherwise. So when writers look like they’re being lazy couch-potatoes or
gallivanting about when they should be holed-up writing, we really are working. Yes, that’s what I tell The
Man, The Boys, The Publisher and the IRS. Because it’s true.
Brenda and I saw an octopus in the water off the beach,
tried new foods and drinks, talked writing and plotting and characters and
books, laughed a lot, watched the sun set on the water,
visited a marine park and swam with dolphins. We had a blast! And I’ve returned
back to the writing cave with a fresh mind and soul, ready to take on a new
project. My well is overflowing, and I can’t wait to get started.
Breaks are important for everyone, regardless of what work
you do. We all need them just to give one part of our brains a rest. For
writers and other creatives, they also refill our wells that we draw on while
creating. Low and empty wells show in our work. To be at our best, we have to
play on a regular basis. Once again, I have to say, “It’s great to be a
writer.”
It sounds like you had an excellent time! I couldn't agree more, breaks are vital to a writer's well being.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more with this post! After each new book release, it's like I'm stepping out into the sun after months of hibernating. Lots of eye-blinking and feelings of disorientation!
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