One of the best things about sending out a social media cry for help on blog post topics is that you get enough to last you for a while. Thank you, my friends; not only for giving me the topics in the first place, but for caring enough to want to know the answers. Here’s a great big virtual hug for all of you.
But, back to the post. I ended up getting two questions that I felt were quite similar:
- Frost asks: Do you believe writers need to take time away from writing?
- North of the Mountains asks: Is an author’s brain ever on holidays?
Of course I do believe that writers—that everyone—needs to take a step away from what they do, even if they’re doing it for fun. We all work hard. There are deadlines, and bill payments, and family problems, and dental appointments, and issues with our cars, and a hundred-thousand other reasons that make us need a break from everything short of breathing. The question is… is it possible?
I know (and the people that asked me probably know too) that it is damn near impossible to get me to stop writing. Now, when Frost used the term “writing” in his question, I’m going to assume he refers to fiction writing: short stories, poetry, novels… as all the gods in all the places know that I definitely have had more than one instance wherein I struggle coming up with something to say in blog posts.
But, in terms of fiction writing, while I honestly feel a great deal of sympathy for the people who speak about writer’s block, I would be lying if I said I could empathize with them. I can always write. I’m not saying that I can always write well, or that what I do write isn’t destined to be eradicated with a swipe of the touchpad and a click of the delete button, or that I’ll even be able to comprehend what I got up at 3:00 am to scribble on a Post-It note, but there are always stories floating through my head and I can always write those stories.
Much to my father’s chagrin.
(Sorry, Dad, my head is still always in the clouds and yes, I remain a million miles away from reality.)
While I tick-and-bob numbers on a spreadsheet only half my brain is there – the other half of it is watching characters fall in love, or arguing with each other, or making stupid mistakes that they’ll have to rectify. While my hands and hair are full of soapsuds the brain underneath them is inventing worlds and peeking in the windows of the characters that live there.
While some people take breathers from their hobbies in order to sort out their problems, I tumble into mine for that. That’s where my roses are, so if I’m going to do some sniffing that’s where I have to go. I take time away from everything else in order to write.
Which leads me to the North’s question about my brain going on holidays. Every time I step into the world(s) of my characters, I’m on holidays. I’m in place brimming with newfound love and conflict resolution and happily-ever-afters, and, really, there aren’t many places quite as nice as that. Certainly not in the real world, anyway.
The first time I went on vacation as a single adult, I almost drove myself crazy. I was staying in a beautiful beach-house that had wall-to-ceiling windows that had the most magnificent view of the ocean. There was a place that offered hand-gliding lessons right across the street, and a lighthouse that was something like a thousand years old (I exaggerate), and kites that refused to fly but looked so damn nice that we refused to give up on them, and I told myself that I should be enjoying all of these things one-hundred-percent of the time. All that mindset ended up doing was stressing me the hell out.
The next year I went I said to hell with these stupid expectations that I spend every moment “enjoying” where I was, and instead I took a couple of hours every day to type some words and spend some time with the people that live in my head. Because that’s where I find my happy place even when I’m surrounded by beautiful sights and good friends.
Maybe that makes me a little bit crazy but out of all of the potentially insane things I could be doing, this is one of the nicer ones, I guess.
What about you? Do you, as a writer, take time away from your writing? Does it drive you crazy to not be writing?
Or, as a reader, is there anything you do to step away from world and take a mini-holiday in your mind? Do you do it with a novel?
I’d love to hear from you.
Thank you for reading! And until next time…
AF Henley <3
Henley was born with a full-blown passion for run-on sentences, a zealous indulgence in all words descriptive, and the endearing tendency to overuse punctuation. Since the early years Henley has been an enthusiastic writer, from the first few I-love- my-dog stories to the current leap into erotica. A self-professed Google genius, Henley lives for the hours spent digging through the Internet for ‘research purposes’ which, more often than not, lead seven thousand miles away from first intentions but bring Henley to new discoveries and ideas that, once seeded, tend to flourish.
Henley has been proudly publishing with Less Than Three Press since 2012, and has been writing like mad ever since. Henley’s newest release, Wolf, WY is available on Amazon, directly through LT3 Press, or at your favourite online book dealer. The second of the Wolf series, Wolf en Garde is now available for pre-order. Save 15% by reserving your copy now.
For more information, please stop by for a visit at afhenley.com.
Aloha, Thanks so much for this post. This is me to a T too. 🙂 I go a little batshit if I’m not writing. And I also don’t get writer’s block unless I’m trying to get my characters to do something they don’t want to do. Then they dig in their toes and refuse to speak to me.
I’m so glad someone else goes into their happy place of romance and happenings like I do. I miss my characters when I’m away from them. I miss the house The Hawaiians series is set in. I was just thinking today, they’re my happy place. I feel at home with them and the reality there.
And I can so relate to the beach house experience. LOL. I think of all the bloody miserable holidays I’ve taken by myself to fabulous places. And I’ve been bored. I would have been so much happier taking my laptop with me and being in both worlds at once.
So thanks. This is just what I needed today. It’s perfect.
Aloha Meg Amor 🙂
You’re very welcome, Meg! Thank you very much for sharing your awesome comment. It’s nice to know we’re not alone in this. Aloha! 😀
<3
The last 4 months, I think, has seen no less than 120 thousand words from me. That’s a feat considering I wrote about that much in 2014 and 2015 combined (most of the writing was in 2014). How many of those words made it to the current draft is another issue altogether, but point is, I needed a break from 2015… a crazy break, and since getting in the SUV and driving to Houston, TX for a vacation by my lonesome self is rather out of the question, writing is the outlet. If I’m not in reality, I’m inside my head. Sometimes, though, those two merge…
Just this morning Hubby came downstairs looking at me like I grew fox ears or a third eye and asked, “Who were you yelling at this morning?”
I replied, “My character. I was her best friend, and she did something stupid, so I was yelling at her.”
Oops. XD
*laughs* That’s perfect. And I’m glad you’re writing so proficiently! Have a huge highfive. 😀
<3
I’m similar and yet probably completely different in a lot of ways. xD I can stop writing, I always day dream or think up story ideas every day but actually taking the time to put them down in some form or another could easily find months in-between single words. Of course that has to do with the whole time slip thing I keep complaining about. 😛
By big thing is my inability to let a problem go without a prolonged struggle. If I need to solve a story issue I’ll work at it non-stop even missing an hour or two of work (which I make up for later) as I try to figure out a solution. But I do the same thing when I have a programming issue, or a data reporting issue, everything outside those problems takes an immediate back seat. And every time I give up, or claim to give up, I’m usually back at it in under five minutes.
I can take a day to myself sometimes, but I could never take a vacation to myself. I’d go insane, I have to do something. I have to accomplish something. Yesterday I figured out how to send alerts to our local Emergency Alert system via SMS. Why do I bring this up? Because I also had a stomach bug and was running to the bathroom every 30 minutes. I couldn’t let it go even then.
I think my ability to be unaware of time helps to cheat on the “always” writing bit. I finished a chapter this morning that I started in December. And it was like I’d only written it the day before.
Anyway, long story short. Thank you for sharing your experiences. 😀
My pleasure, Frost, thank YOU for sharing back! Sorry to hear about the stomach bug, though. Your persistence throughout it is, however, remarkable. 😀
<3
As an educator, it’s always great to hear from ‘real authors.’ Sharing how it works, for each of you, is motivating for struggling writers.
Thanks, Diane! But you are no less real than I am. If you’re writing, even if it’s a struggle, you’re doing great. Keep up the awesome work and I’m extremely happy that you found the post motivating. <3
Thank you very much for your post and your reply, my friend! 😀 This is such a beautiful blog post! I can not tell you enough how happy it makes me and how great it is knowing that you find so much happiness in your work! That you feel so drawn to it and that you can be so dedicated. 🙂
Of course I am not an author but being an artist as well, I know exactly how you feel. No matter where I am or what I do, part of my brain is always thinking of the drawing I am working on. The need to tweak perspective a bit here and to change color a tad there. Or what other projects I am planning. What reference I need to look up. The brushes I want to try. There is always something. 😀
It is a blessing to do that and when I am at work, I miss being able to draw like crazy!
<3
*laughs* How many times have I told you that you need to take your tablet to work with you?! Actually… don’t do that. You might get fired. XD
Thank you very much, my friend. <3