Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Is this procrastination?

I know I should be writing, but it really does feel important that I
  • Create my writing environment, first (I'm putting a table in my main bedroom and away from the office in my second).
  • Go to Ikea again* to get suitable furniture for above writing space
  • Tidy my office moving any writing-related books from there to my my new writing space
And, finally, I have to
  • Go through all my notes, in search of writing ideas that might just be useful
Is this the equivalent of doing a spring clean in the house, or of reorganising my clothes by colour rather than by type of item, or of reading one more book for inspiration?

Or, is it a necessary process of preparing for change, of preparing to write a first novel?

After all, I still don't know exactly what my book is going to be about, except that it is, without doubt, going to be something different. (I have several normal writing ideas lined up for next year and the year after that. I do hope, though, that writing something different doesn't put me off writing something conventional the next time because a) I have a taste for the odd, now or b) that my experiment failed so badly that I never want to try and write a novel again.)

I am going to be running before I can walk, with my first writing project, for sure. And that is most unlike me. I guess that's what's good about change - doing things differently.

And I keep telling myself that I am not writing a novel right now, but a book; it is simply necessary for me to learn to write by writing, and this is how I choose to write.

(*) Going to Ikea twice in the same year is almost unheard of, let alone twice in the same week!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to tell you I appreciated your sharing this experience.
I had to laugh; the fact that you found ways to procrastinate that were obvious when READING them, that were not obvious to me in my own little wannabe-writer world.
I am afraid, even tho' I know my story like the backside of my hand (it's been in my head for over 10 years). What is this thing, this fear, that it could create such a chicken? Writing is lifeblood, is always RIGHT THERE next to every other experience in life. No escaping it without wild distraction (such as going thru those 10 years of notes).
I'm glad to have found your blog and hope to see your success soon (published)! You are a beacon to someone out here - me!
~Illoura