Today’s Quote
Sep
12, 2011 |Filed in:
UncategorizedToday’s quote for The Book Doctors started me thinking, so here’s the quote by Niyi Osundare: “One hasn’t become a writer until one has distilled writing into a habit, and that habit has been forced into an obsession. Writing has to be an obsession. It has to be something as organic, physiological and psychological as speaking or sleeping or eating.”
I’m obsessing over world building for a new series, but I think I need to make my process more focused. I’m too chaotic and overwhelmed by it right now. Which I suppose is also part of being obsessed, so maybe I’m not too far off the mark. LOL
Here’s my question for you: What are obsessing over? Is it a “healthy” obsession?
I always obsess over writing, and I think it's very healthy. Also, this may come as a shock, *wink*, but when I'm stuck on world-building or something, I get out my many-colored pens and notecards and lay them out on the floor until I get things in some kind of order. Then I either transfer the order into my computer or just pin the cards to my corkboard. ^_^
Hmmmm…I think I obsess during the editing process more so than the writing of it. I write my rough drafts so quickly and edit so slowly that I become focused on every minute aspect along the way.
Character, plot, subplots, conflict, tenses, POV, adjectives…so many things to obsess over! LOL. Maybe writers really are crazy.
Cinda Williams Chima did an excellent post on world building last week on GreenBean Teen Queen. Here's the link: http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/
I'm obsessing about surviving getting up at 5:00 am to get my daughter to swim, then working & picking her up at high school after work. Not much writing energy.
dindoThere is no obsession from my side. Writing is one of the many thinsg that I do. It's a project, not my life. I'm not sure that obsession is healty.
Thanks, Barbara Ann. I did that on my first book – I put those topics that I had taken the most notes on and realized those themes were what most appealed to me and I should write on them. I'm not sure it works as well in world-building. I wish there was a software that would allow you to render a 3-d physical world and then allow you to plug in all the relevant political, religious data for each location. I'm not asking for much! Just the world! LOL
Writers are DEFINITELY certifiable, Cat. There's no way around it. I obsess over all of it, which is probably why it's taking me so friggin long. Sigh.
Thanks for the link, Natalie! I will check her out. I did see you wiggin out over the schedule on facebook. 🙁 I hope things improve!
No, Giora. Obsession is not healthy. One look at my home would tell you that. LOL
I'm obsessing about a story idea I'll be using for the Rule of Three blogfest. It was inspired by a true story that was so sad that it doesn't seem to want to leave me.
I am also obsessing over a new series. Actually, I obsess the entire time I take to complete a story or a book.
Misha, that sounds exactly how my last novel worked. Based on a real story, the elements of which were so compelling I couldn't put the concept down. Which is great, because if you can convey that to the reader, they won't be able to put it down either. Good luck!
Rachna, I was the same way with the last book. I wish I was as obsessed with my current idea. I don't know if I'm burned out, but I suspect I am. Sigh.
I have to confess that I'm pretty obsessed with writing too. I'm struggling with my sub plots right now in my WIP.
I'm struggling with everything from plots to the desire to write the story. I'm afraid what I've got in mind is not driving me hard enough to make me obsessed for the long haul. Argh.
Maybe I'm obsessing about burn out? Hmmm. LOL