IWSG: Getting into the Zone

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Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
 
The awesome co-hosts for the May 6 posting of the IWSG are Feather Stone, Beverly Stowe McClure, Mary Aalgaard, Kim Lajevardi, and Chemist Ken!  Be sure to visit and give them some love!

Optional May 6 question - Do you have any rituals that you use when you need help getting into the ZONE? 

This is definitely a good question for me this month! Regular readers of this blog have seen my "Writer's Wednesday" posts that seem to keep saying the same thing: "I can't make myself settle down and attack my edits."

Since that is still true, I probably don't have much good advice about getting into the zone (I have to wonder if it would be easier if I were in drafting mode--I can kind of see falling into a new story, and I'm tempted to just do it). Here's what I've been trying.
  •  Doing some beta reads. This has helped a lot in the past--kind of get my mind in the editorial groove and keep on going. This time? Maybe helped a little. At least I got feedback to my writer friends in a timely fashion!
  • Making outlines and notes.  This is something that has to be done in any case, and is looking helpful in the long run. But I'm still finding it a lot easier to take another look to see if anyone's shared a funny FB meme than to even do the relatively easy task of sorting out what I've written and what needs to change. I haven't even gotten to the really hard work of actually making those changes. At least the multi-color outline is aesthetically pleasing.
  • Picking off other tasks that are distracting. I'm chipping away at editing photos from our extensive travels in Patagonia and Antarctica, as well as finally got started on our taxes (note: I have NEVER before procrastinated about our taxes. Not sure what's up with that!).
  • Finally, I'm kind of trying to accept my restlessness and do things to keep sane: lots of exercise, a bit of effort at imposing order on the house and garden, and planning summer backpacking trips as though I'm confident they'll happen.
 I'm not sure this is about getting into the "zone", but it is what I'm doing to try to keep working, at least a little bit. How about you? Anything working for you in these unsettling times?

And my obligatory gratuitous photos for the day:
It's okay to feel like we're adrift in an alien space.
The cave is beautiful, but deadly. I hope that's not true of our hidey-holes as we shelter in place!
And, finally, stare at the snow and be mesmerized. Let your mind go blank...
 
 All images and text ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2020, unless otherwise indicated.
As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated!

 


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