Monday, September 18, 2017

The Writing Path: Keep Your Machete Sharp and Your Cake Fork Handy


"THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE EASY, AND THE PATH IS NEVER GOING TO BE CLEAR. THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS KEEP YOUR MACHETE SHARP AND WHACK AWAY AT THE FOLIAGE TILL YOU CLEAR YOUR PATH."
(Janet Reid)

So, how's your writing path looking lately? Is it neat and edged, lined with flowers? Or is it more like mine:




I recently took a blogging break in the hopes of organizing my writing and writing-related work, of making huge progress on my novella, of revising and submitting more stories, etc. Well, for a number of reasons, including one that blew away my focus and rattled my nerves - I'm looking at you, Hurricane Irma! - little to nothing got done. Throw in a few rejections and a possible new project I'm torn about pursuing, and I might as well grow roots I'm so stuck.

But I'm starting to see some sunlight beckoning to me through the brambles and the branches, and I know my writing and I will be okay. Eventually. I just really hope there's some cake and a big glass of milk up ahead for sustenance. (Hey, you have your path, I have mine. If you want boring old trail mix, that's your problem.) 

32 comments:

  1. I think my path is worse.
    Like the new shots of Larry and Mrs. Larry.

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  2. You had me at cake. :D

    Irma might've rattled your nerves, but you're safe and that's all that matters.

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    1. Ha!

      Believe me, we know how lucky we are/were and we're totally grateful. :)

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  3. Irma has a lot to answer for. She completely disrupted my schedule, although I probably shouldn't complain as we came through it unscathed while so many other people suffered and are continuing to suffer as a result of her path of destruction.

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    1. I feel the same about not complaining since we are/were so incredibly lucky. Although, I think you do have a right to complain - I read your post about the chickens and those icky motels. :o

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  4. Hope you find a bit of a clearer path soon! Of course cake is always welcome along the way.

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    1. Thanks, Nick! And cake is always welcome, anywhere, anytime. :)

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  5. I'd go for the cake every time, too. My writing has come to a standstill for several reasons recently too, though not as traumatic as yours. You sound ready to move on, and attack a few brambles :-)

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    1. As much as I'd like to blame Irma for all of my writing woes, I really can't. It's mostly my own fault. Sigh. But...cake! :)

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  6. I hope you didn't have much damage from Irma. I guess there is a cost for living in a place that makes me envious.

    Ah rejection...I keep telling myself it is just a right of passage. But it still stings.

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  7. It's times like these when I'm glad I don't live closer to the beach.

    Sometimes rejection feels like an annoying mosquito. Other times, it's more like a big angry wasp.

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  8. You said it better than I could. I'm in a huge patch of brush and weeds right now.

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    1. You can borrow my machete, but the cake fork, you're on your own. :)

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  9. I'm clear across the country from Irma, so I can't blame her, but your path and mine look awfully similar, as you said on my post! Too funny that our minds were going the same way today :)

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    1. Let's just blame Irma anyway. And I thought that was funny, too. :)

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  10. Welcome back! Hope everything is alright after Irma.

    My path looks pretty similar as it's an absolute mess. Since the beginning of this month, I've been using a quote I found. 'It's your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you'. I'm glad to hear you're finding sunlight again. And cake! There is always cake. :)

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    1. That's a wonderful quote, Debbie! Thanks for sharing it. And I'm pretty sure I'd give up sunlight for cake. :o

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  11. Sorry to hear about your setbacks, Madeline, and I hope Irma didn't mess with you too much.

    I think it's normal to have ebbs and flows in creative work, but that doesn't make it easy. As writers, we're so darn hard on ourselves.

    Hang in there, my friend. This too shall pass. And you're awesome.

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    1. Thanks so much, JH! And you are right about us being so, so hard on ourselves. I wish I knew why that was so I could fix it then share the magic formula with you all. :)

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  12. That writing path can be a jungle or a swamp. I've been through both kinds and always manage to get through to the other side, get organized, and start writing again...eventually. :D

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    1. I hold onto that "eventually" with a death grip. Just have to believe and keep on believing. :)

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  13. You're not alone. My path is so overgrown I can't look at it right now. I'm preoccupied with something else. Until it lets go I'm at its mercy.

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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  14. The path feels overwhelm more often then not, but still taking one step at a time. Juneta

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  15. I'm right there on wanting cake at the end of the path too;) My path has lots of sudden drops to fall down and steep mountains to climb, with quicksand thrown in just for fun, but that's life. I'm glad that you're safe. You keep hacking at that path. I'll be cheering for you through those long grass. Hope you have that cake soon.

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    1. Quick, grab the cake fork and pull yourself out of that quicksand. You can do it! :)

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  16. Just when you thought someone would never be able to write a post about cake forks and machetes... :)

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  17. Hey! Why wait? Have your cake NOW! Writing is even more fun with a happy tummy.

    Yesterday was the best editing day I've had so far, so I'm pumped. We're leaving in a little while to visit friends for the weekend, so the writing path will be ignored for a few days, but that's okay. Maybe the weeds won't grow too much while we're gone. Besides, relaxing and laughing with friends (and making my tummy happy with good food) will give me more incentive to come back to it with a clear mind. And a machete.

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    1. I like the way your mind works, Susan! :)

      Excellent on the editing! And I'm sure those weeds will be too afraid to grow in your absence since you've been kicking writing's butt.

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