To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven
The last few weeks have been wonderful. If being stuck in an oven and dying can be described in such a way. Every time I have attempted to sit down and switch the revision brain on – which in my opinion is a super version of your brain fueled by coffee – my muse cries out in agony.
Therefore I have come to the conclusion:
Heatwaves kills muses…and revision super brain powers.
Where does that leave me then? With no super brain powers it seems. What if I was a real author on a real deadline? What would I tell my editor? I’m tanning against my will? As lame as that sounds, that reason isn’t exactly a lie. There is a high probability that my makeup will not match my face on my wedding day…but I digress.
Where was I? That’s right. Dead muse.
I am at my most focused in winter. My focus and motivation is so razor sharp I have been told people are afraid to approach me. I would like that focus back, but how?
I.
Am.
Melting.
As much as I would love to move to the Arctic right now – or even Antarctica because that is logistically closer – I can’t help but feel it will not fix the problem at hand.
If I choose to be honest with myself right now, my current writing predicament has a lot to do with mindset. I am just not at the right level of focus for revision right now and I have decided that is okay because I believe my creativity is being nurtured in other ways. More importantly, I strongly believe all my writing goals are still very possible.
Although I am not actively editing my current WIP, I see it so much more clearly. The world sparkles and scenes that I hated are rewriting themselves like a movie in my mind. Two fresh story ideas have unveiled themselves to me and I am excited for the words that will be written, revised and hopefully submitted this year.
Seasons follow a cycle and to a degree, I believe creativity follows its own seasons too. I needed my own creative heatwave to remember what it’s like to feel excited about the process again and to be reminded revision is only one of the many seasons that creates a story.
How does it work for you? Is writing seasonal?
Love and light,
Anushka xx
Finding My Creature 
I certainly write better some days than others! Sometimes I’m full of enthusiasm when I sit at the PC – and other times I’m scared stiff that the words won’t come! I think it depends on my mood rather than the seasons.
Yes mood has a lot to do with it too…I know they have been days when I have just been down right lazy! But everyone needs a rest day right?
I definitely need to adjust my mindset to the season that beckons outside my window! It’s winter here in the US right now (I’ll send some minus zero weather your way if you like!) so I curl up with hot chocolate and a blanket when I revise. Summer calls for smoothies and open window to let the birdsong in. Accepting that some days will be less productive than others has become part of the process for me. As long as my overall direction is forward, that’s okay!
Yes please, I would love buckets of snow and minus zero weather! (Doesn’t mean I won’t start complaining about the cold) haha I love the idea of open windows, birdsong and smoothies…I can do better to make my writing process far more appealing on days that seem a bit flat! I tried lighting a candle the other day, but it was a total fire ban day and I swear, it felt like I almost sparked a massive fire. But you are right though, as long as the general direction is forward that’s the main thing! I also feel like the only progress is SUPER PROGRESS…but the little steps should be respected too.
I agree, I work better in the cold! In the heat, I need to work in shorter bursts.
I love what you wrote about creativity being seasonal- not just literally but really it’s a cyclical process we must respect. Interesting!
Thanks, I’m glad you liked the post. It’s amazing the insight you glean when dying from the heat haha I should try sitting down and working in shorter bursts now that you mentioned it, see what happens. I hope your projects are going well 🙂
For me, any season can be writing season. However, as a person who is easily distracted by the length of the days, I have to admit winter is a very productive time. By the time winter solstice arrives, it’s dark by 4:00pm. I keep the darkness at bay by plunging into my novel where it can be light or dark at my whim!
As much as I complain about the lack of sunshine and warmth in the winter I have to admit my best work happens in in the darkness too haha I love the breezy summer days as well…but the scorching dry Australian summer heatwave – with no breeze- does get the best of me!
ps- I hope your revision is going well and that you are getting closer and closer to your goal 🙂
Was a bit confused for a moment there lol….loving the new look honey! 🙂
Xx
Thanks! I was just looking for something a little cleaner to help declutter my brain a little!
It’s very nice 🙂
Xx