From Sarah, With Joy

*Poet * Author * Wanderluster*

Monday, April 25, 2011

U is for Ups and Downs


We all have them. Sometimes things are going great, you get an acceptance letter, your manuscript is coming along, you get an acceptance letter...then you loose your umph, and things just stop coming as easily. Your writing becomes a slog, and not as exciting as it was before.

Here is the thing. The writer is the one who stays in the chair and writes even during the downs, the slumps, the doldrums, the dog days, the dry spells, whatever. You keep working even when you feel like your losing your edge, when it actually feels like work. I always worry that trying to write during these times will make my writing feel bland and forced, but thats what editing is for. The important thing is to take a lesson from Dory and JUST KEEP SWIMMING.

It always makes me feel better knowing that other people feel this way too, because I know I'm not alone, and I know I'll get over it eventually. Just knowing I'll get over it helps me work through it. Books, music, movies and favorite TV shows also help me feel a little better about life in general. Food also helps, especially if it involves a fun restaurant and a group of friends. Take a walk, go to the gym, go to a movie with your significant other. Whatever. Get out of the house. That almost always helps me shake the blues, at least for a little while. And it really does go away eventually.

Happy writing!

13 comments:

  1. Hah...I will do that--'Just Keep Swimming.' Thanks for the lighthearted reminder!

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  2. Yes. It does. So do the negative voices in my head that want to not believe in my stories I write.

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  3. I'm lucky to be a lot like Dory, if something does upset, I'm ditzy enough to have forgotten what it was five minutes later. Oh I can hold a grudge, I just can't remember who it's against.
    Wagging Tales - Blog for Writers

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  4. I love the pictures here! LOL. Life really is a roller-coaster but, as they say, "After the rain, comes sunshine" and I believe it. :)

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  5. Love that you & I both called on the spirit of Dory for our U posts.

    Good posts - we certainly do all have our ups and downs.

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  6. I am now officially following you. Awesome stuff! Thanks so much for the much needed Monday pick-me-up

    Cheers and happy writing!

    Wendy

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  7. As long as there is more ups I'm happy.

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  8. It's so great to meet you. Love your post and love meeting people who are a lot like me! =)

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  9. So true! I blogged about something similar today (under L... I am doing multiple posts to try to catch up!) :). One of the lessons I keep trying to learn is not to let the "downs" keep me down and to figure out what to do to work through them until life seems a little easier again.

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  10. Excellent advice!
    I have trouble with the idea of writing pieces that I don't really like...I guess I forget sometimes that there's a such thing as editing. :) Thanks for this reminder.

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  11. I love finding nemo. Dory is hilarious. Just keep swimming indeed!
    nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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