Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Writing again

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I felt it welling up this morning, although the dire coffee shortage seemed as though it might hamper things. I got dressed - already an accomplishment, already making this day different from the days of the previous month - and went out and bought some. It's sunny outside, it's hot. It's February, no wonder the plants are completely confused. Photos of snow in the UK, and here I was boiling in my cardigan.

I made the coffee, sat outside to drink it, and the welling up became stronger and stronger. With the half-drunk cup, I went back inside and fired up the laptop. The desktop is already on but its purpose is different. The laptop is for fiction. I started something, a new version of a very very old story I haven't found a way to tell yet. I wrote a little, and then stopped. Then went to something new, something I decided to write for a themed call for submissions, because this often helps me (sorry, Elizabeth!). Liars' League is calling for submissions on "Art and Science". The deadline is this Friday, in two days. Art and science. That's me. That's what I am all about. If there is anything I have to write, it's this. I started thinking about this over a month ago, before I started feeling unwell. I began something. But for the last four weeks I haven't even been able to approach the idea of getting back into the fictional world. I thought I would just have to scratch this off my Submissions spreadsheet.

But today, I did. I'm back. I climbed back in and it felt good, it felt great! I started writing where I had left off, and then, in line with my theory about distractions, (which got a mention in the New Yorker blog!) started up two online scrabble-like games in order to be able to send my rational mind off to think about word scores while I finished the story. The minimum for the submission was 800 words. At 802 I wrapped it up. Then, since Liars League is where writers write and actors read out the stories, I read it to myself. And then i grinned. I like it. I really like it.

Now I will let it lie. I have two more days. Of course I like it, it's just come out. Tomorrow, I will be able to see it with a bit more distance. More time would help, but that's just the way it is. And it doesn't matter one bit if it's not accepted. It doesn't matter because I wrote it. Now it exists. I got out something that was inside and I expressed something about Art and Science, it took me in a direction that was magical and weird and wonderful, for me. I'm back. I feel better. So much better. Physically, emotionally, mentally. Thank the powers above, or below, or within, or all of them. A good day.

13 comments:

James said...

great to see you're back in the game, hon! here's to health & creativity...oh, and the kick-starting powers of coffee!

Gay Degani said...

I'll be back to read this and the bit about distractions, but I don't have time to be distracted!! Just wanted to thank you for visiting my blog and leaving nice words. Love it.

Oh and yes! Nothing like feeling those smooth, yielding, concave keys under fingers again.

Nik Perring said...

Woooooooohoooooooooooooooo!

Now, that is music to my ears!

Nik

Sarah Hilary said...

Lovely news, Tania. Long may it last.

Group 8 said...

I'm glad you had a good writing day, T. There's nothing like it to make you feel relevant again; not to mention normal and grounded and fizzing with happiness. N x x x

Lauri said...

I think sometimes the not writing can build up a sort of sickness . When I'm forced to write non-fiction for days on end to put bread on the table, I feel a relief when I can sit down with my fiction.

I'm so glad you're better at least writing-wise.

Emmanuel Sigauke said...

Tania,

How is life after the Blog Book Tour? I remember you were very busy touring the world at the end of last year.

Douglas Bruton said...

That's the way, Tania. And now let the flood gates open... and all that thinking and all that waiting, ideas germinating in the dark of thought, let it all come out in a great bright flowering.

:-)

D

Debi said...

Welcome back, Tania!

Isn't it great when things come together again? - especially after a caffeine-less trough ... The very thought of not having coffee makes me twitch.

Tania Hershman said...

Gay - sorry for distracting you with talk of distractions! But this is "distraction" in the most positive sense, I promise.

Nik - thank you!!!

Sarah - fingers crossed. xx

N - fizzing with happiness does sum it up perfectly!

Lauri, I feel the same, so not feeling well enough to write makes me feel more unwell... round and round. Hope you are doing it enough to keep insanity at bay!

Emmanuel, how lovely to see you here, thanks for stopping by. Life after Blog Tour is filled with recovery, rest and hibernation! I am glad not to be talking about myself right now and just re-grouping and getting on with other projects.

Douglas - I hope, I hope!

Debi, yes, it is great, and I wish caffeine wasn't such a big part of it, but it is and that's that. Am reading Nirvana Bites and greatly enjoying it!

Anonymous said...

I so enjoyed reading you. I shall return!

Donna Marino/facebook

Elizabeth Baines said...

Tania, just caught up with this (after being in London followed by a few days' offline and then utter busy-ness - book tour not least of it). I'm so glad you've started writing again. I was going to commiserate with you - I've in the place where you've been, and I thought the book tours must have done it for us both (and I do think that has something to with it - you need a different kind of head, I think, for promotion!) but this morning I too have started writing again! Isn't it wonderful, isn't the world a different place? Don't you feel so ILL when you can't write, and isn't it such a RELIEF when you start again - no, more than relief: 'welling up' is a great way of putting it.

Hooray for both of us!

E xxx

Tania Hershman said...

Donna, please do return - often!

Elizabeth, YES!!!!