No tags yet.
My characters have stopped talking to me; I think they're feeling mad I had to set them aside to finish everything needed for the release of my new book. I've been working for two weeks straight with little sleep, but have not had time to fit writing in. Well, book writing. When I have gotten some downtime, I'm way too fried to work on a book.
Now, I don't know if characters really speak to other authors in their heads or not. For me, it's more of a euphemism. When I'm in writing mode, I think about the book a lot. Most of the time I'm awake, actually. When I'm in the thick of it, it's even on my mind while I'm brushing my teeth and running errands. Characters, plot, setting, and more constantly stream through my head, which means my obsession sometimes leads to new ideas or perspectives popping into my head at the oddest times. For instance, it could be while I'm cooking dinner that I realize there's a huge plot hole I need to fix.
I told someone once I'm not a napkin writing kind of author. It's not organized or easy enough to keep
track of. I don't want to lose my ideas, and I'm way too type-A for that. However, I can be seen whipping out my phone to feverishly write in the notepad while in the middle of the grocery store or picking up my daughter from school. I end up with a bunch of random notes in my phone that I have to consolidate in my outline later or hang onto if it's for the next book.
However, these past couple of weeks have been spent formatting, setting up author connections, promoting my new book, and answering questions. Not to mention family and volunteer obligations I have. I'm exhausted and running on fumes.
All this means writing is not happening right now, and my running plot, character, and setting commentary in my head has gone quiet. Every once in a while, I think about a character or scene but not like before. I'm hoping it's only because my head is too filled with everything else right now. I can barely remember my name at this point. I'm hoping it will come back once I start writing again.
I'm writing a novella next. One I already outlined and started writing while waiting for proof reading and feedback to come for my first book. Maybe I just need to look at my outline again and start writing to get the spark of inspiration back. Maybe my characters aren't angry. Maybe they are just hibernating until I have time for them again. I'll let you know how it goes in a couple of days when I'll be able to finally write again.