I get a little squishy in this third episode of “Writing ‘Light,’” the weekly video show in which I document my progress with, read samples from and share insights about my second novel, “Light of the Outsider,” a fantasy thriller due out late summer, 2011. This episode, it’s all about creating and maintaining an emotional support system for your writing life. There’s homework!
I’m especially interested to get your responses and feedback to this episode. Please comment below or leave a voicemail at 1-757-DIY-MATT (349-6288). Thanks!
Well said Matt. You bring up a tremendously important fact for us creators. We need to keep it balanced. It’s something I’ve failed at several times. I can get so focused on a creative project that I tend to let other things fall to the way side. Sometimes it’s not even that I’m slacking in my responsibilities, but I’m letting it take over my every thought, and not leaving room for anything else. I’m constantly working on plot and story ideas, or what’s coming next in the book I’m writing. I think, and hope
, that I’ve since learned to keep my creating world in its place by letting myself be focused on it when it’s a good time. It’s a skill I’ve had to work on and still do. When I’m with my family, I put it out of my mind and focus on them. I still get story ideas that pop into my head at random and have to jot them down, but then I put it away and think more about it later, when I’m not taking time from others. I’ve seen my wife go from being very frustrated with me writing to being encouraging about it, which as you’ve said has been huge because it puts me in a healthy emotional place, and I’m so much more creative when I’m being encouraged than when I’m being told that my projects are intruding on people’s lives. Thanks for sharing Matt, this is a topic very close to my heart and it’s cool to hear about how it’s affected someone else’s life.
Many thanks, sincerely, for sharing as well, Dan! Despite the fact that much of creativity depends on understanding and reflecting upon human nature and relationships, I suspect that many creators have much to learn in that department. I know I’ve had to… and there’s always something new to understand. Of course, I reckon that’s a good thing.