Monday, January 25, 2010

Nearly There

Still not really writing. Still working through ToC stories for Dark Pages. The muse is still on holidays.

I've come to the conclusion that summer is not 'My time to write!'

I wrote my very first manuscript during the summer of 2006/7 but I was new to the whole writing thing, I had time up my sleeve, and I was working through some not very pleasant stuff at the time. Writing was an escape. Once the manuscript was done, I wrote 14 short stories in the space of three months. I sold the first three of them to the first place I submitted them to - I figured this writing lark was easy. I've sold another four or five of those stories and retired all the rest but one. I will find a home for Too Late the Rain one day.

I've written maybe 20 stories since then and had published around a third of them. I don't even count the first three publications in my bio anymore. They gave me wonderful warm and fuzzy feelings inside at the time and I'll be forever thankful to those editors, but when I read them now, I cringe.

But, I was talking about writing at different times throughout the year. My first 14 short stories were written in winter. The best stories I've written to date were all written during late autumn early winter last year. Inner Voice was written during last winter.

I'm currently working with some brilliant people editing Dark Pages Volume 1 during the summer and feeling a little down on myself for not getting any of my own writing done. Well - no more!

I'm a cold weather writer.

But I hate the cold with a passion. I turn purple if the temp drops below 20C. I don't wear shorts unless I'm swimming or at home, and then only rarely (nobody should be subjected to my chicken legs). And yet, here I am longing for this summer to over and the cooler months to begin so I can get back to it. My wife will begin searching for our new home in the southern parts of Tasmania once she's read this, or maybe we'll be heading over to the UK (we both love the EPL as well. We can watch the 'football', cricket, and have cold weather all year round!**).

So when do you find it best to write? At night, during the day? Summer? Winter? Snuggled by the fire, naked by the pool? Inside, outside? Tell me, I'm interested.

**A summer of four weeks where it rarely gets above 35C is not something to get excited about.

8 comments:

  1. It's funny, I always seem more inspired by Autumn and Winter weather, I guess it goes hand in hand with Horror fiction.

    I'm a really disorganized person, so it comes as a bit of a shock that I need a schedule to keep writing. Mines very simple: Laptop, 1hr lunch break and (writing gods willing) 500+ words.

    As its at work and I generally keep my clothes on...

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  2. That's pretty cool-- seasonal writing! We need to find our rhythms to really know when we'll produce our best work. We're like special little plants... or something.

    (Or I've played too much Harvest Moon. You be the judge.)

    I like to work any time after 2pm, but I really prefer late night-- assuming I haven't already been writing all day, in which case I'll take a break and watch something/game.

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  3. Fall and winter, after dark. I can write during the afternoon, but the sun bugs the hell out of me. I"m useless in the morning.

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  4. I do most of my writing in the fall and winter too. In my case, I think it may have something to do with having done NaNo five times in a row now, plus the fact that I work at a college. At the very beginning of the fall and winter semesters, it's very quiet. I have more time to write. Um, not that I write at work.

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  5. Late summer-fall is my best time to write. I have a nice antique desk with cabriole legs and it is perfect for secluding oneself and pounding out a few words.

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  6. Erm, does the 35 degrees comment refer to England because we never (thank the lord) get those temperatures. Last year, I think we had about two weeks of summer and they appeared in spring. A heatwave in the UK is 24 degrees. :D

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  7. I go through cycles, sure, but not really associated with seasons/times of day. It's vital to pay attention to one's patterns, though. Vital.

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  8. At night - late at night - it's just a pity I have to get up for work in the morning. I don't think the seasons bother me too much writing wise, although winter is my favourite, but at the moment I'm locking myself in with the air conditioning so I'm pretty chilled :)

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