There is a folder in my desktop containing many single text files. Every file is maybe 400 or 800 words in length. All of those files are all the ideas that pop into my head for books, screenplays, sub-plots, and in general every idea I get that I feel I could use in the future. When I start working on a project, I rarely work on anything else not related to that particular story — I do research, read books, etc., but never never work on two stories at the same time.
That changed this month.
As I feel the burn of having been working in a single project for too long (a year or so) my brain feels like it needs a little "cooling down". My bf seems to have sensed this, giving me the unsolicited advice of: "Maybe you should focus on writing something that is truly interesting to you".
Well, how would you feel my fellow writer? How does he dare to talk to you like that! :) We all now you are ONE with your story, there's nobody else I know that SCREAMS science fiction like you do— I know. I know. Even though my bf's advice sounded to me like the equivalent of someone telling a mother she doesn't truly love her child, there is some truth to what he said.
I am a little bit disenchanted by the story, and that shows. I'm not excited anymore, not optimistic about it, I don't feel there will be legions of fans furiously reading the adventures of my unlikely hero, hoping for the book to never end. I don't attribute this to a lack of commitment to write a certain genre —I love science fiction & magic realism— and I can't picture myself writing romance or historical fiction, or whatever it is a girl like me is supposed to write—stereotypes, that's another subject altogether.
But I must say, it's no secret that I'm having difficulty getting passed the 2nd act —my little private EVEREST— but it's also no secret that this is due not to "writer's block" or lack of ideas or lack of words, or simply boredom. No. This stagnation is due to RESISTANCE, the crazy sticky ailment of the creative. When it comes to you it's difficult to get rid of it. It came to me, and we are having a stare down.
—Listen Resistance, you go...or I'm going to write one terrible book—
My resistance is mainly due to my bad habit of listening to people. I listen, and then question my ideas, which is not bad in itself. But to that add the lack of confidence in one's ideas and...Poooof, there goes the confidence in ones book, in ones ability to write a decent book, and it spirals until you become static. Until you sit and stare at the slow burning log.
What is one to do to battle resistance? Muscle through it. But I can't just sit and keep writing my incredibly amazing action-packed sci fi story feeling like I am just warming up, and none of my words can truly convey what I want to say. What then? I decided to start working on a side story. This story was one inside my "OHI" folder (One Hundred Ideas). O...hi. Hi, new idea.
This story is magic realism, which gives me a little rest from the sci fi language and setting, and it helps me refresh my brain a little bit. I know it will take a bit longer for me to finish my sci fi adventure...but it's okay, I just need to get over this little bump.
You see, after all the bf was not all wrong.
Another thing that made me question my bf advice of writing about something I am truly interesting in, is that, when I tell people I write sci fi they act surprised. What? I know I look like I'm supposed to write the next Sex & The City books, or something similar to The bell jar, or something feminine or feminist. Something more suitable for a girl that wears make-up, high heels and bikinis. STEREOTYPES — not good.
Hey, I know the bf said it with the best intention, but I've encountered many people who don't believe I'm capable of writing sci fi simply because I'm a woman. I'm up to the challenge, bring it on!
I tell you something I am truly interesting in: the power of the human soul. We are courageous, we are resilient, we have true power to transform what we touch. No matter what genre I write, this is my main theme. So, watch out, maybe I'll come up with a romance (scifi!) book in the future.
Happy (Multiple-project) writing!
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