I like to write. Honestly. I wouldn't be one if it didn't hold SOME allure. But set a deadline in front of me, and I go as numb as a squirrel in the path of an SUV. I freeze up. Not to mention, I've been sick a couple times recently, and surprise, surprise, physical illness does not contribute to writing productivity! Also, my NaNo story, Heat Lightning, has been percolating for a year and a half, and much like my hero, Ethan, a lightning strike survivor, I've been feeling a bit of performance anxiety. I know the recommendations. Sit down and just do it! Feel the burn! BICHOK! And I'm sure there are more. Lately the only burn I've been feeling is that which comes from watching all my fellow NaNo'ers word counts climb by groups of Ks while mine climbs by single digits.
As of right now, I'm a bit over 10K. (Guess I should update the sidebar, huh?) But I refuse to concede defeat on November 10th! Do you have any suggestions for battling writer's performance anxiety? (I'll include my address if anyone wants to send Godiva...or possibly the niblet of man candy below.)
6 comments:
What? We have to SAB with this too?! LOL! I'm having trouble with my guy too. *sigh*
I think if you THINK about it too much things get all blocked.
You know you need to just turn off the world and put your ears in. Music's the only thing that's EVER been able to save us.
Even I have to close my email tonight and just WORK.
I did take yesterday off tho--I think it did a world of good. I finished LaNora's new Vows installment. WONDERMOUS, BTW. Watched crap tv and let my brain relax.
Oh yeah I know how you feel. I started Nano day one and then I decided I wasn't going to be able to make it with my work schedule I just was so under prepared with a storyline etc -- so anyway come Nov 7th I find a storyline and write bam..... *sigh* it's weird when you get take the pressure off, or as Tara mentioned step away from it, its amazing what happens.
Keep it up, you can do this and you have a great stry.
Hey Cari
Ahh…PERFORMANCE anxiety : )
I have a confession to make and I only remembered this now. Right in almost the beginning of my Nano project is my grocery list! Yep, 500 words or there about, I think, of what I needed to get. It’s a VERY grand grocery list. But I was STUCK. I’m keeping it there, if I take anything out now, I think my disaster in progress will be unsalvageable, it’s that delicate!!! I will write an extra plus minus 500 words, so that’ll take care of that. Some might say I cheated, I say I had a yearning to write my grocery list in prose : )
You’ll find your rhythm, Cari, just blast your music and dance!
*Hugs*
10k? I'd say that's not too shabby. :-)
You're doing fine! Your problem is the same as mine -- you want to get it perfect the first time. Well, I gave up. Chris Baty says, "Don't get it right, get it written." I'll admit I've written some real crap this NaNo. But as Nora says, "I can fix anything but a blank page." So get writing, hon! And I promise I'll stop quoting people, LOL.
Cari,
I have to agree with Helen. That is what I was going to say. I'm feeling the same way with a project that has been brewing in my mind for about a year now. It could be so good I don't want to mess it up... so I haven't started it. I'm determined, once I get my edits done. I'm sitting down and writing it.
Just get something down on paper. The first step is always the hardest. Sometime you have to take that first step daily... but I know you can do it.
~Lynne
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