Oh Post-It How I Love Thee
I've got at least three dozen notebooks and journals lying around my house (car, diaper bags, office) for those moments of muse clarity that cannot be ignored. Where I must write down an idea, plot item, dialogue, character sketch.... well anything that might be used as a writing catalyst in the future. But lately? I'd be nothing close to a writer if it weren't for my trusty post-it notes.
And I am not talking about special post-it notes. Nope. Just any plain old original post-it note, or my son's Scooby Doo post-its, or those from my office that haven't quite found a home in my desk yet, or well, any post-it note I can get my hands on in my time of need (scraps of paper will do if nothing else is available too).
My "ideas" are fractions of what they used to be. Likely because I am distracted by being a full-time mom. Or the fact that my lack of REM sleep has finally kicked me into exhaustion territory. Either way, at least I am still getting ideas to kick around for my writing. And when I get them, I better write them down. Or I just might doze off for a quick nap and wake up with not a clue about the previous events. Including that gem of an idea for the latest work in progress.
So, these post-its are collecting under my laptop. And now is a stash beside it. Some are numbered in a particularly pleasing order. Others are just a "junk pile" of dialogue. And then there is the starred set (think gold star but instead a pen marked asterisk). These are must-haves in my latest story. Items I must include in one form or another. The hope is that hours (okay, days or weeks) later I will sit down and write the full idea. Get it in place for the whole story, and find myself with a finished manuscript. At least someday.
Somewhere deep in my subconscious I am sure this is indicitive of life with a 6 week old kid. Or maybe I am just scattered on a good day. Either way, it is a form of writing I am just taking for what it is worth and seeing if it will work to complete a manuscript. It can't be any worse than not writing at all.
And I am not talking about special post-it notes. Nope. Just any plain old original post-it note, or my son's Scooby Doo post-its, or those from my office that haven't quite found a home in my desk yet, or well, any post-it note I can get my hands on in my time of need (scraps of paper will do if nothing else is available too).
My "ideas" are fractions of what they used to be. Likely because I am distracted by being a full-time mom. Or the fact that my lack of REM sleep has finally kicked me into exhaustion territory. Either way, at least I am still getting ideas to kick around for my writing. And when I get them, I better write them down. Or I just might doze off for a quick nap and wake up with not a clue about the previous events. Including that gem of an idea for the latest work in progress.
So, these post-its are collecting under my laptop. And now is a stash beside it. Some are numbered in a particularly pleasing order. Others are just a "junk pile" of dialogue. And then there is the starred set (think gold star but instead a pen marked asterisk). These are must-haves in my latest story. Items I must include in one form or another. The hope is that hours (okay, days or weeks) later I will sit down and write the full idea. Get it in place for the whole story, and find myself with a finished manuscript. At least someday.
Somewhere deep in my subconscious I am sure this is indicitive of life with a 6 week old kid. Or maybe I am just scattered on a good day. Either way, it is a form of writing I am just taking for what it is worth and seeing if it will work to complete a manuscript. It can't be any worse than not writing at all.
Labels: me, writing, writing life
