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Being busy gives us purpose, and we derive a lot of our self-worth from having worthy things to occupy our time: family, friends, hobbies, shopping, medical visits, and (I guess) work.
But being busy becomes a major problem for people who like to write. Who need to write. Who can hardly exists if they don't write something. Anything. Even if it's just an idea they know they will never explore. They have to write something.
Unfortunately for these people, busy is a bad thing. And yet it isn't.
Time with family? Absolutely. Especially if the family concerned is spouse and/or children.
Time with friends? Of course. Especially if the friend/s are buying. And REALLY especially if there is a chance the friendship could blossom into something more.
Time for hobbies? Everyone needs at least one hobby.
Time for shopping? Well, duh!
Time for medical visits? If you have insurance.
Time for work? Only if you need the money.
All of these things take up time. But just as important, many of them also take up creative thought.
Keeping children amused requires a lot of creative thought. Keeping a spouse amused can require creative thinking. For some spouses it's just wham, bam, thank you, ma'am. But some need other kinds of stimulation.
Shopping is a creative process.
And so it goes.
Which leaves precisely what for writers to utilize when they sit down (or lay down or stand up) to do what they were born to do? Write?
Very little.
And for that reason you have seen virtually nothing posted on this blog in months. For, believe it or not, trying to come up with an interesting story of 500-words on a regular basis is incredibly draining - even to the most prolific of writers.
Look at Bevie! Nothing here in two months.
According to Bevie's blog, there HAS been a hero story written. It just went a little bit over 500-words. About 40,000-words over.
Which brings up something else you may not be aware of. It is far easier to write a 40,000-word novel than an interesting 500-word piece.
Why?
Who cares?
But Legion of On-Line Super Heroes officially has eight writers. But they are all busy. They really are. And the guilt writers feel when they remember they thought they would write all these words on a schedule only to find they didn't is pretty bad. Eventually, they avoid everything that reminds them of it.
Too bad they're writers. Everything reminds them of writing. So the poor dears struggle with other projects.
Visit their blogs. Many of them are active bloggers. You can read their works there, too.
Meanwhile, let's hope that they can all be blessed with time to do what they were born to do: Write.
2 comments:
You know, for me writing just isn't the most important thing in my life. It's one of a selection of hobbies and that's why I'd be surprised if I ever get anything published.
At the moment I'm learning to make Amigurumi (Japanese small crochet toys) in the hope of making this chihuahua for my sister's birthday in May.
I got given window cling paints for my birthday and I want to make a design to use them.
My clarinet is languishing and I want to start picking it up again as soon as I have the energy.
Life is full. Life is (mostly) good. I don't feel guilty about not writing because I can't do everything. I hope the other members of this blog feel the same.
I expect people are keeping up with what they need to. The Legion was never meant to be a "job". It would last as long as it was fun - and as long as people had time to keep up with it.
It SHOULD be at the lower end of what people do.
You have so many creative outlets, Fairy. I'm jealous.
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