The mind of a writer is a weird and wacky place. It is filled with aliens, monsters, fantastical creatures, and everyday people. Scenarios both realistic and non play over and over, sometimes evolving over time. All of this can lead to someone who is described as having their head “in the clouds”. Someone who needs to “return to Earth”…who understands life in a way that most others can’t comprehend but you listen to their ramblings anyway because you love them.
I wanted to take a moment and explain the morning in the head of a writer (or at least a morning in the head of me and hopefully some of you can relate!):
Wake up.
Open phone to check for messages/alerts. Check social media page. Check Instagram. Check Pinterest.
Have an idea!!…wait…no it left. It was more of the feeling of an idea. Oh well.
Think about maybe getting some coffee/tea.
Decide maybe you’ve had too much the past few days as the twitch in your eyebrow hasn’t quite subsided yet.
“Do I have work today?… Did I do the laundry yesterday?… What does *character* think of in the morning?… WHY do I NOT know the answer to that?…am I a bad writer?”
Think about how long it’s been since you’ve sat down at your computer and actually wrote more than a paragraph.
Conveniently think about something else immediately.
“Yeah I’m a good writer. I’m the best writer.”
Realize you should probably get out of bed.
Wonder why you’re looking at nature scenes on Pinterest. Realize that the photo you’re on reminds you of a scene you once thought about writing.
“Should I write that scene today? Nah. It’s still processing.”
Go to kitchen and make breakfast…well I mean it’s a meal…well I mean at least it’s food. Okay rice. I made rice for breakfast. Not even the kind you put over the stove, just the microwave 1 minute kind.
Decide you do want coffee after all. Open up your pantry and stare in pride at your mug collection. So many mugs. You need more. You only have 30…
Carefully select your mug. So carefully that a bomb might as well go off if you choose the wrong one. After all, inspiration comes from the right mug and if you are to get ANY work done today you HAVE to choose the PERFECT mug.
Stare at the mugs way longer than any normal person.
Wonder if *character 2* would care about picking out a mug. Why don’t you know the answer to this question either?! Are you a bad writer? You’re a bad writer. You’re the worst. How long have you been stuck on that one scene in that one book…or maybe it’s going to be a novella..or a short story even.
How long IS a short story anyways? How long is a novel? Why do you not know this already? Oh hey look, Google!
*google*
…you totally knew that. You knew that answer all along. You’re the best writer. The best.
Oh right…you should probably get a move on.
Remove rice from microwave and grab mug of coffee that is done brewing from your fancy Keurig.
Sit down in front of laptop/computer. Place food and coffee around computer ever so delicately.
Open current work in progress (WIP).
Stare at WIP with a critical eye. Think about things you’d like to change or add. Scroll down to where you left off.
“Is this all I wrote? What was going to happen next, again? Does *character* even want to be doing this? Of course they do, I don’t control what happens in the story.”
Write in a frenzy for about ten minutes before hitting another block.
“Well…looks like that will be all for now.”
Look at clock.
“Oh no! I had to be at *place* today!!”
Get dressed at superhuman speed. Run out the door with one shoe on, hopping on one leg like a rabid velociraptor as your bag/purse tries to jump off your shoulder and help your phone commit suicide.
Forget to lock door.
Run back to door. Fumble with keys. Maybe curse a time or two because keys suck and it takes way too long and-…oh wait I got it. Awesome!!!
Run back to car.
Drive to *place* in a controlled frenzy. Controlled so you don’t get pulled over. Frenzy because you’re late again despite waking up with adequate time to get ready.
Realize a quarter way through the drive that you did not eat your rice or drink more than two sips of your coffee and now they’re just sitting there getting gross for you to clean later. Darn…that’s the fourth time this week.
Think about characters and book again.
Construct perfect plot.
“Should I write it down? I can’t because I’m driving. Should I pull over? No, I have to get there on time. Okay maybe if I just repeat it over and over I won’t forget.”
Arrive at destination and forget all about it. Repeat.
NOTE: For those of you writers who are able to stick to a schedule and consistently write, GREAT job and please tell me your secret!! For those of you who can relate, we should start a support group or something.
Thank you for reading!
E. Lexi Abbott 