Monday, October 15, 2012

I know too much

Shortly after we told my oldest son about the birds and the bees, he said to me, "I wish you'd never told me."

Sometimes I feel that way about the writing industry. It was kind of nice living in that cocoon, writing my book, completely unawares of the perils that awaited me. When I wrote my first book, it was all about just loving the story and not worrying about anything else and for some reason I just can't get back to that type of writing. Every time I write a sentence everything I've learned and read runs through my mind. Is this advancing the plot? Am I showing enough emotion? Are my characters developing?

It would be nice just to write because I'm excited about the story and not worry about all those things. I miss those days when I was so naive and dreamed big. I think now my dreams are a bit more realistic, which is sad in a way. 

My brother used to say, expect the worst that way if something good happens you'll be pleasantly surprised.

So how about you? Do you wish you could go back to the cocoon naivetity even if it's just for a little while? 

10 comments:

Janet said...

YES, YES, YES! This is what I've been fighting for a couple of years, Patti - glad to know I'm not alone :)

Jennifer Hoffine said...

There's an old Colin Raye song called "What They Don't Know" (it just might be a blessing)...I do see that. Reality is so daunting...and sometimes a total buzz kill.

Laurel Garver said...

Some of the most productive writers I know seem to be able to shut off what they know about the tough, wider world of "the industry" when they draft. I wish I could compartmentalize like that--just shelve the worries until tackling a revision.

Felicity Grace Terry said...

I'm with your brother in that I tend to expect the worst and then if something good does happens its a bonus.

A bit of an ostrich I do tend to retreat to the cocoon naivetity every now and then but quickly find myself having to come up for air.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

My biggest problem is staying motivated to write.

Anonymous said...

Yes, sometimes it seems like a shattered dream when reality bites us, or hurts. Hope is the leader that leads me back on to the creative juice wagon. Nobody can take that away from us!

Anne Gallagher said...

Just write, Patti. That's all. You can't worry about all you've learned because by the fifth book, you've forgotten it all anyway. In this day and age, you can write however which way you want to. Have you seen some of the stuff out there that's getting published by New York? Even with editors it's crap. It's obvious those writers never even LEARNED the rules. And that's the best part, once you learn them, you can break them. Don't sweat the small stuff. Just write.

Unknown said...

Oh, this is so funny. I was just telling one of my sons about the birds and the bees yesterday. lol.

And I TOTALLY know what you mean!! Sometimes it isn't pretty out there.

Oh, and hey, I've been so absent from the blogosphere that I didn't know you had come back from hiatus...like a MONTH ago!!
OMG, time flies! lol

Robyn Campbell said...

Oh to be naive again. But I know how you feel. All these questions I have to ask self, makes me sad. Cocoon naivetity just for a little while. *sigh* Excellent post, my friend.

Martin Willoughby said...

No, I'd rather know all about it, that way I can ignore the bits I don't like...just like rules of writing.