After a while of deep, meaningful thinking, I've reached the conclusion that I don't write anymore. And it feels a bit odd. Especially since I've been at it properly for a whole year now (thanks CC!).
The thing is, I don't have much time. The only creative writing I do (as in not edit) is this blog. I'm starting to feel kind of sad :(
What should I be doing now? I should be studying. I have to finish college and I have 4 years worth of subjects to get up to par with for my two horrible coming exams - one tougher than the other.
So, you've already guessed that this will be a post about me and my studying habit.
I have the annoying knack of getting distracted really easily from doing something (yes, even writing or critting). To avoid this, I've placed all my college books in a room with absolutely nothing interesting in it (my brother's ex room, so you can only guess what lurks in there). So, surrounded by books, I sit at the desk, grab a book (first year civil law...grrr... awful read, wouldn't recommend it to anyone) and I'm off.
I write the time I start studying - the day (I'm at day 8, I think? though it's actually day 11, but I skipped a few...oops) and the page I'm starting from (going at about 50 pages or more per day).
But when I finish studying for the day - it's like 5 hours later. What the hell? It took me 5 hours to read 50 meager pages?
Not exactly. Because about twenty minutes later - I get bored, I start counting pages, looking at the clock, wondering how long it might take me to finish... and so on.
Main distractions:
1. Food - what, I want a glass of water! And something sweet while I'm at it. Except I don't have anything, so I have to rummage in the fridge to improvise (who said yogurt doesn't taste better with jam?) - and that happens more times per day than I can count. Ugh, there goes my target weight.
2. Boyfriend - wonder what he's up to (well, right now, he's sleeping). But I usually check - and when I do, we get talking and discussing news and then he gets hungry and I sigh and whip us up something and there goes another hour. But at least I won't be craving for food anymore.
3. Internet - Hmmm... I wonder if I got a crit. Should go check. And while I'm on CC, I should do a crit as well - I'm like so behind with all of this, when will I ever return all the favors pending? So yeah, let's do a crit - that takes about 40 minutes. Should get back to studying. Oh, wait - let's check the mail first - no, I don't want a free degree, a fake rolex or viagra - moving on. Let's go back to studying - wait, should check facebook first - what, new photos from someone I hardly know? Gotta check that out!
Okay, done with facebook. Time to study. But let's check the blogger stats first.
4. Music/daydreaming - okay, I'm back at my desk, but it's all boring - taking out the old ipod. I happily start underlining again. Whoa! I love this song and it's for such a nifty scene in my next book. - I stop underlining and reading and take the 4 minutes to imagine the scene the song reminds me of. The song is over, but I managed to get such nifty details set. I want to imagine it some more - another ten minutes gone.
5. Annoyance and backpain - I'm done! My neck hurts and I'm sick of this crappy subject (when can I get into criminal law?) that's it for the day. I'll do a better job tomorrow and catch up. I'd better go lie on my couch like a potato and do some reading/critting/blogging/talking to bf/watching tv - anything else, please. It's a warm day - maybe I'll even go outside!
So, yes - this is practically my learning experience right now. And I should be studying. I will, after I finish this post - I intentionally wanted to do some critting, but I'll leave that for one of the breaks. I wanna get this over with.
The thing is - I think all of this could apply to writing - but in my case, only the internet does - nothing else of the above distract me (especially not studying!). I wish I could do some writing other than the light edits I do before submitting a chapter to CC. :(
Ah, well, life goes on. And I do hope criminal law will pick up the pace ;) See you guys around.
That is a sad realisation, Stephanie, and so true! I checked back and found I haven't done any real writing for just over a year.
ReplyDeleteBlogging = main distraction. Critiquing a close second.
Trouble is, I'm hung up on revising and finding any excuse to avoid it :(
I know exactly what you mean, Steph. I seem to go through a phase of writing, followed by a (much longer) phase of rewrites. By the time I've got past that, and get back to the fun of planning a new story and then writing it, almost a year has passed.
ReplyDeleteI also know what you mean about distractions. I tend to have great plans for weekends re: getting things done, and find myself talking myself into other things in exactly the same way your post described :-). You can always justify the distractions too, can't you?
Maybe set aside a period of time (like when doing NaNoWriMo) to just write again?
@Ian: Yeah, it is sad - and I don't really like editing and rewrites either, though sometimes it's actually quite relaxing :)
ReplyDelete@Coral - Oh, yes, I always have excuses for all distractions - but I'm trying to do the write thing here. Unfortunately, I'm a last minute kinda person, so I'll only panic and do things properly when there's hardly any time left :p
NaNo was really fun, but I'd feel guilty if I did that now, knowing I actually have to study ;-(
It's awful isn't it! I have far too little time for my writing these days as well - I miss it badly :(
ReplyDeleteHope your study pace picks up soon :)
Hugs,
Rach
Long ago and far away, I was a college student too. I feel your pain. Though, I didn't have internet access in my dorm room, so that wasn't an issue back then :) My problem was falling asleep while reading my organic chemistry book...yawn....you can do it! Trust me, it feels like forever while you're there, but once you're out it's like "where did the time go??"
ReplyDeleteLol, Mysti, I'm already wondering where the first three years have gone and why am I stuck in horrible year four?! :)
ReplyDelete