Thursday, February 12, 2009

I haven't had trouble writing lately because I haven't even dared to try to write. Too sick originally, then too stressed out, too anxious. So I've been playing computer puzzles, which the fabulous man who gives me my anti-anxiety pills says is a wonderful way to de-stress. Most recently, I've become interested in Escape puzzles in which you find yourself in a room full of hidden clues and you have to find them and figure out how they work with each other to get the key that lets you out of the room. I used to hate these, but suddenly they're very calming....

...which led me to a sudden thread that I'd like to follow in my writing. A puzzle like this would be perfect for the great scheme of my storyline. But how do I build it? Do I decide on the clues themselves and how they fit together to lead toward the prize first, or do I look at the general surroundings and work in toward the details and the best places to hide them? I'd ask the Escape puzzle creators, but so far, most of the ones I've found are by Japanese artists/programmers.

Any advice?

Monday, February 02, 2009

I'm home sick today after a weekend spent battling stomach cramps. On the bright side, I spent so much time trying to distract myself with computer games that I don't feel the urge to start one today. So I'll spend the day working on my wedding guest list, registry, and writing. Reworking Chapter 2 to fit the "new vision" and hoping that my voice comes through.

It's very easy to become intimidated by other people's successes. Each achievement you congratulate in others who're following the same dreams you have highlights your own failure to reach those same goals. The trick is to celebrate other folks' victories without bitterness toward them and to remember that we all have different life paths and different experiences. The stories I want to tell now are not stories I could've created ten years ago (my original publishing deadline) or even three years ago. So as hard as it seems, I keep muddling along and hoping I can get through the rut and the distractions and someday be just as productive and excited as all of the talented writers I've come to know.