“I’m going to do more book reviews!” said I two months ago. I’ve done two book reviews since then. Granted, I’ve been busy with getting my own writing done and with homework. However, I’m on the homeward stretch of my Masters, and I’ve finished the drafting of two novels. I’d like to boast that I’m planning on reviewing a lot more…but we all know how that happens.
It’s like when I plan on finishing a draft in the coming weekend, or getting through two chapters tomorrow, or writing X amount of words. It’s all good and well to plan, but sometimes life gets in the way. I’ll wake up in a bad mood, sleep in and be tired all day, or some such in-the-way thing, and those goals go unmet. That’s why I’ve stopped “planning” my life in stone.
I’ve started to go more with the flow. If I feel like reading, I’ll read. If I feel more like hammering out some chapters, I’ll go do that. If I feel like eating the whole bag of York mints while playing Oblivion, I’ll go do that. I’m…what’s the phrase? Playing it by ear, or…living by the seat of my pants.
Sure, I still plan ahead, like with my car payments and bills (I’m an adult!). But that’s not as reliant on my brain working as writing a chapter. I need my creative waves to be working consistently for that kind of activity.
Beatrice B. Morgan 