Now that the final day is here in all its fresh glory, I can
say that May had me SWAMPED.
Snowed under.
Drowning in obligations.
Between two writing-related trips, an exciting project,
family visits, family illness and a break-neck pace at the day job, it was
absolutely off-the-wall bonkers in Sarah’s world. BONKERS.
I feel like I’ve barely had time to breathe, let alone
process all that has gone on, but what I can say I noticed is something I
totally didn’t expect.
I wanted to write ALL THE TIME.
Somehow, some way, I noticed in the last thirty-one days
that my level of creativity seemed to go up with my level of busyness in any
given day.
Obviously, this wasn’t a scientific survey or anything, but
on recent twelve-hour work days, you’d find me tapping away at my phone with
any free second. I wrote them while exercising, driving (typing them after I
parked!) and while up with the baby in the middle of the night.
And when I wasn’t actually writing, I was taking mental
notes. Or actual notes. Or running through dialogue in my head. Of course, I
wouldn’t do that during a three-hour work meeting, but I might during breaks.
Looking at it all, I wrote more than 35,000 words in the
month of May.
Words I actually like and are good—I know because I revised
them as I went (ah, the power of rereading what you wrote yesterday before
starting again today).
I’m not sure what June will hold. Maybe I burnt myself out
with work, writing and life in May and will spend the next six months getting
my equilibrium back. Or maybe stress didn’t have anything to do with it—I DO
love the project I’m working on. Maybe those words would’ve flowed out of me
anyway. It’s impossible to tell.
What I do know is that stress can be surprising in the
most productive of ways. Not that I want the month of May back. Nope, nope, I
don’t want that.
Where have you found unexpected creativity?
Congratulations on surviving May. (I'm assuming you will make it through the day!) Sometimes busyness and stress can cause us to focus our time better. (And sometimes it causes us to totally lose focus.) Whatever worked, I'm glad it did. I hope for you a productive June as well.
ReplyDelete~ Jim
Wow! What a schedule you have. And, you made such progress! It reminds me of what we used to say at work: If you want to make sure something gets done, give it to a busy person.
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ReplyDeleteSarah, I understand the business of May. I'm glad you were still able to write, write, write. It's strange, isn't it? I found myself wanting to write so much in spite of all the things I had to, and did do. I got more chapters written on my 6th book in one month than I had accomplished in the previous months. Of course, I think that has my book has progressed, I've gotten more in tune to it. Whatever, it's a good feeling, isn't it.
It's funny how life can get in the way of writing.
ReplyDeleteA wise woman told me that raising children is one of the most creative things people can do. You are swimming in creativity - children, writing, life! Glad that all that creativity is finding its way to the page.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were able to write in May, Sarah! I definitely get creative when I'm under stress. Also, I'm more creative and take risks with my writing in the middle of the night. Maybe because it's quiet and there isn't anything or anyone to distract me. But those award-winning ideas I have at 2 a.m., tend to loose their luster in the light of day.
ReplyDeleteI don't have unexpected creativity, Sarah. What I have are cycles of hyperactivity, which I try to take advantage of until it wears off and I get nothing done! Some of that is due to a lack of energy, but more often real-world interference is the cause. It's really abnormal when I get a lot accomplished in both worlds. Usually, I must trade off, real world one week, writing another. In the long run it balances, but there are weeks when I'm frustrated in either world. A typical scenario: week one, writing, week two, real world, week three--both, week four--nothing in either due to too many people around!
ReplyDeleteSo glad May was great for you.
This is a wonderfully upbeat post about a topic that generally gets major bad press. Proves the theory that you can't control what happens to you, but you can control how you view it. Wonderful, Sarah!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly seem to have hit your stride with all your responsibilities and projects.
ReplyDeleteI find ideas for stories all over. I'm always jotting notes to myself (some of which I can't make out later) but i run out of time and energy way before I run out of things I want to write.
May can certainly be a fertile time! Glad you made time to be creative.
ReplyDeleteLife does get in the way of writing! But I do like how you think, folks. And Shari, I am totally fine with swimming in creativity thanks to my kids. Now, if work would just stop getting in the way... lol.
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