I just left me writing goals up in the air for about a year, so I know a little bit about burnout.
There are several distractions I turn to when I need a break from the writerly world. Each of them are season-oriented.
Right now, my distractions are here:
I inherited a green thumb from my grandmother. This is one of the nine flower/rock gardens that live in my front and back yards. Each requires a lot of mulch, a lot of water, a lot of weeding and a lot of time.
The peace I find in willing seeds from the earth and playing in the dirt somehow centers me, helps me fall deep into thought about characters, their lives and their world.
I love it.
When the temperature and humidity gets to be too much during the summer months, I start working on things like this:
I'm sure you've all seen this before. It's the music video for the song I wrote and recorded with my husband, Dana.
I've always had a passion for music, and it's a great tool for digging up inspiration.
In the fall, it's this:
I'm a junkie. Seriously.
It's not just Cornhusker football either. To other college football fans it might seem odd, but I've been known to cheer my butt off for the Oklahoma Sooners and whoever is beating Kansas State and Missouri. (Sorry Purple Kitty and Tiger fans.)
I'm not sure if watching college football rejuvenates or drains my creative juices. It certainly forces me to take a break from the writing process, which sometimes writers don't allow themselves enough time to do.
In the winter, I can usually be found on one of these:
Nasty pieces of...wait. I love my elliptical.
I love it.
Love it.
Love it.
(Whatever you gotta tell yourself, right?)
In all honesty, hooking up with some good tunes and getting back on a hardcore exercise program has probably done more to get my creative juices flowing than anything else. The first seven minutes is the hardest, but by the time I'm 20 minutes into a 60-minute elliptical run, I'm so immersed in a make believe world that I forget how much I hate exercise. (I mean I love exercise.)
Don't forget to check out what Abby says about her pastimes. Tomorrow, Sandra will tell us about hers.
What about you?
9 comments:
Looks like you have a lot of things to keep you busy!
Exercise is a great way to recharge--not that I'm that diligent about it, but it always helps. And music is great for most things. Awesome post!
And I did get my post up. Just a little late, since I'm an unmotivated slacker. ;)
Grrrr, one of the things I miss the most is exercise time. I would love to squeeze it in, but I just never can find the time. I love the music video though. That is an awesome song, and I'm not sure what I like more - the guitar or the vocals. Great stuff as always, Kat!
Reading a book conciously is a great way!!! I read them, get amazed by them, think of the plots and how to improve them? How something went wrong? and all such!!
The writer in me gets charged immediately!!
with warm regards
http://becomingprince.blogspot.com
Dude! You totally motivated me to get back to my exercise. THANK YOU!
I love to listen to music. Because I write historicals, I sometimes prefer to listen to classical. But not always! Sting is one of my very favorites, as you know, and I find his music makes me creative too.
Totally cool video! And the fact you have seasonal hobbies is awesome because you can never truly get bored with them.
Exercise is at the top of my list. Have to get rid of the rolls of fat I have hanging on me from having my baby girl. Sigh... time to get revved up for it.
Oh man, why did you have to mention the elliptical? I promised myself that once I finished my first draft I would get back on that stupid, err, I mean wonderful machine. So it's been two weeks now and ummm... yeah not so much. Maybe I should, see if it helps with the creative end as well as it does the rear end;)
I'm so jealous! I wish I had a green thumb. I can grow...cactus. That's about it. Oh, and mold! That counts, right? :)
Post a Comment