Writing As A Chore

I'll be honest. I'm starting off the new year spinning my wheels on the writing front. maybe it's the arm still being in a sling, the daily ache left from surgery, the one and a half handed hunt and peck across the keyboard. It's a bit of a chore.

Oh, I'm still committed to the write something, anything, every day mantra. I've been working on book thre of the Prophet series, and I've come up with a fun way to antagonize the book one protagonist. I've really committed my focus to it. But it doesn't propel the story forward. There's little traction from it. Spinning wheels.

And that's the problem. I haven't hooked into where I want to go with book three. I've got characters that I want to expand on, whose journeys need to continue. I've got a title! But I've got no goal, no theme. Therefore, writing it has become a chore. I need an outline -- and outlines are chores. A list of things to get done before you can enjoy the getting done part.

I'm also thinking about setting the book three idea aside and returning to the script series. But again, I would need to revisit the old, outline the new and research research research. A list of chores.

Don't get me wrong. I look forward to that spark of achievement that comes with getting the work done. But I believe that it's okay to recognize that the process can be a chore. No one likes chores, but we all know they need to get done. Daily.

So if you too are stuck in your writing endeavors, make a list -- You need to define your main characters, their flaws, their fears. You need to define your ending before you define your beginning. You need to commit to a singular theme and tape it to the top of your computer screen so you don't forget it. You need to stop at the store and  buy some whiskey, because whiskey is key to your writing process... You get the idea.

Whatever your process, remember. If it feels like it's missing something, or becoming a chore, it probably is. Embrace the chores. It's part of the process.

Also, forgive any typos. My shoulder is feeling it. But I got the January blog entry done! A tick off on my list of chores.