"Hi." I said to myself.
I feel like I'm always in a rush to finish my current book project. It seems to happen each time I come up with a story. I get the initial idea. I start building characters in my head. I begin laying things out on paper. Next thing I know, I'm writing and am deep within the middle of it all, watching it take shape. To me, this is the most exciting part of writing, the beginning of a new adventure, building that new world. It is very strange, because once you start building it and create worlds, universes, charaters, or just a simple fiction street with a lonely house and a guy named Sue, it actually does exist now. It becomes very real for me. These places and characters become a part of me and stay with me. I think about them throughout my day and what they might be doing, therefore I can visit them again when it's quiet and guide them in another direction. Take my last book, Hope, for example. Now that that book is finished, I do still think of Christopher and Tommy every now and then. I wonder what it would be like if they started stiring things up again? Hmm, maybe someday. They can just chill where they are for now.
Crazy, you say? I'm not sure. But, if being 'crazy' is being able to create different worlds, characters, and having a connection with them enough to take readers on a journey that they will never forget, and hopefully bring a smile to their face, then I don't want to be sane.
Once a new story passes the halfway point (just a feeling I get, knowing about where that might be is always different of course) I seem to start throwing stuff on the page that doesn't seem to be well thought out. I have to make myself slow down and breathe. All I can figure is that it's some sort of mental anxiety of feeling like you have to meet that certain deadline of getting it out to the masses. Yes, this 'deadline' is only set by myself. I'm not necessarily under the gun to finish anything, but it is annoying to fight with yourself. Oh well, who am I kidding? I like having conversations with myself. I always know what to say, and I can always make myself laugh.
In closing, the message for today and for myself is to 'breathe and take your time' in all you do. Rushing yourself will only cause stress and create mistakes.
