When you know the end...

Writing a blog about writing is kinda hard to do when you haven’t been writing.

            Why haven’t I written anything?

            I wonder if the lack of motivation has to do with the book being “done”. This happened to me once before when I wrote my very first novel back in the mid 90s. I started it in college in Advanced Creative Writing and was required to turn in an outline. The outline was fun to create, but then I had to actually write the story.

When it was finished, I met with an agent at a writing conference, and she said it needed to be longer. So I plotted a subplot and forced myself to the computer to write the scenes. I sent the book out again to agents and editors, received a few handwritten notes, but none squealed, “Send it to us now!” So it’s sitting on my shelf in a box.

            Since then, I have completed two other novels (also unpublished) WITHOUT plotting, and the excitement lasted up until the final word. Lack of motivation wasn’t a factor.

            So maybe it’s the holidays?

I kinda doubt it—one of my novels was written in November—NanoWriMo.  I don’t think I can really blame the holidays.

            Back to lack of motivation. It was important for me and Larry to plot the end to be sure we gathered up all the loose pieces and tied them in a pretty little bow. But the spontaneity is gone. I can’t leave any more ridiculous cliff hangers for him, nor do I face the challenge of making sense of his.

            And then there is also the lack of looming deadlines. The critique group doesn’t meet again until mid January.

            The urgency is gone.

The fun is gone.
            Maybe that’s an overstatement. I love reading Larry’s parts. I’m sure there’ll be some enjoyment in watching the scenes unfold.

And yes, it’ll be fun knowing we've written the last word.

            Which brings me back to motivation. If I can find the time, yeah, I might work on it. Or not. Maybe a post-holiday (rested) brain will enjoy the process more.

So, here’s looking forward to the New Year complete with deadlines and motivation.

And writing.