I lost it. I honestly don’t know where it is. My brain that is. I do know where Vegas is. Las Vegas, that is.
But somehow, I think the drive to and from – 10 hours each way, by myself, through desolate California desert – has somehow set my brain into pause mode and I can’t find the ‘on’ switch. Or more specifically, the ‘turn on to edit switch’.
You see, I have chapters 1-10 of The Pirate Circus back from my editor with first round things to fix on it. And I stare at them and my brain goes “la la la la la la la…”
You get the idea.
This is a bad thing. I need my brain to work.
I’m looking for kick start ideas for shifting this slub in the head back into gear. Please. Help!
One lucky comment will win this pink sticker I got at Treasure Island Casino…
Come on folks, help out a writing pirate. I need it! (And keep an eye on my blog and FB. I got a lot of swag at that gift shop to give away…)
I find the best thing after driving thru the dessert is just sleep. A nice long nap is the only way to really reboot my brain. However if you don’t have time for that, or you have already slept and are still all “Blah”. Lots of caffiene and promise yourself you can do anything you want AFTER you are done your edits. Then after you’ve forced yourself through them and gotten to do something you would rather do, go back and reread whatever you did with the edits so you didn’t miss anything. (just don’t tell your brain about the plans to go back and reread your edits again or it might revolt and try to ooze out your ears)
Anything I want AFTER? Maybe that would work. I can get up tomorrow…look at the spa offerings, pick one and promise it to myself…after the edits.
I napped, I slept…brain is still fried, so maybe a bribe would help. All I really want to do right now is sleep and run away from the list of things I need to do…like edit…
Thanks, Aimeekay…maybe you’ll win a sticker! I’m gonna collect suggestions until Sunday…
I think it takes a little while to recover from Vegas — and that’s not including the long drive each way. Add in the fact that you were at a conference, which is draining, and you’ve got a lot of reasons to regroup for a day or so. (Plus it’s a full moon tonight. LOL)
I would leave it until the morning. It’s amazing how much fresher your brain is then, even if you’re not a morning person. 🙂 Good luck with the edits.
Yeah, Donna…it seems a good idea to wait until tomorrow…I’m hoping Tuesday starts as a better day for working the edits. I didn’t feel like I did that much at the conference, but the drive…oh…the drive.
I literally slapped myself a couple of times to stay alert. Stopped over and over and over…
After a trip to Vegas, and a long drive, I would feel the same. Try not to think about your edits for a few days. Relax and allow yourself time to recuperate from all the excitement. When I travel it takes days before I get back into the writing zone. You could sit back and watch a couple of new movies. This way your mind can be free of responsibility. Try to focus on someone else’s creative skills. You might get inspired by a marathon of newly released picks. Rest, relax, enjoy the peace of an empty mind! I think we all should try it:)
Can I find a couple of new movies I want to see??? Not much out there on my list right now… Lots on the DVR though….
Peace of an empty mind? You mean the big echo chamber is peaceful for you? 😉
I think Kathleen’s suggestion, “This way your mind can be free of responsibility.” is a good one.
If movies don’t work for you, you could take a leap back into childhood frivolity.
Set up a lawn chair in the back yard, turn on a sprinkler and run thru it with wild abandon…Squealing with joy is encouraged. Then relax, maybe with a favorite beverage, and unwind in the chair until refreshed and dry…or if you’re like me, have the chair in the sprinkler too. ( I like to reset like this (even when it’s raining), and the neighbor kids all think I’m fun and crazy.)
Summer is almost over…enjoy it while you can.
Pam…ah, if only it weren’t too cold for a sprinkler intervention. I might, however, take the deck chair outside and bake in the little bit of warmish sun we do have. Or tomorrow…maybe I can find a river or creek area to take the dog into for a romp…
I have an idea but I’m not sure you’re going to like it. But this works for me when I need to rewrite/reword something. I have to read examples of writing done really well. This could be a favorite book, or it can be a craft book. Mind you, I don’t mean read the entire craft book. But if I can read a really good example, something clicks in my brain. What looked impossible before now has possibilities.
Find an author whose style you really like. Not for the story or the genre, just how they arrange the words to make them read more powerful and fresh. Or find a good craft book on writing styles or writing Deep POV. Those usually have good examples.
Well, I’ve already used the Laurie R. King book as a distraction… I have the newest JD Robb I could open. But once open, I will not close until it’s finished. I’m weak that way…
I fear a craftbook would set me into a state of permanent brain freeze. I’m already finding myself wondering if adverbs are stalking me…