Wednesday Writing — or Procrastination?

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Here we are at another halfway point, another hump day.  I’m only halfway on one particular thing because of one evil villain — Procrastination.  Or at least I’ve begun to think that is what’s to blame.  I go round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel…

ferris-wheel MichaelGaida Pixabay
Michael Gaida, Pixabay

#AmWriting? Not… How do I get back on track? I’ve been trying so hard to get back to the National Novel Writing Month (#NaNoWriMo) novel I drafted in November.  I shouldn’t have let anything derail me. But after an intense month, I thought a short break was in order.  Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel…

I extended my break from that novel, because in December, I realized it was a good time to publish my fairytale, “Thistledown – Midsummer Bedlam” (relinks.me/B082RFN9GF). Like a carousel that’s turning running rings around the moon… 

Carousel fantasy moon Michael Seibt Pixabay
Michael Seibt, Pixabay

Bedlam Thunder is a misfit faery.  Most of my characters are misfits, outcasts, or just different in some way — so am I.  Like a tunnel that you follow to a tunnel of its own…

Then I had stomach flu for three weeks. While I was down with that, I put the finishing touches on “Speak Flapper” ( relinks.me/B083HNK3BB). In my particular circumstance, being sick for that long created new fears and depression.  Down a hollow to a cavern where the sun has never shone…

Finally feeling stronger, I suddenly wanted to do a story for Valentine’s Day and published “Fiona Finch & the Pink Valentine” (relinks.me/B084NZFZ14). Like a door that keeps revolving in a half forgotten dream…

abstract Mind fractal green Rob de Roy Pixabay
Rob de Roy at Pixabay

With the November novel in mind, I tried to get myself back on track by taking part in things, participating, and the like.  I promised myself I could do it. After all, on the surface, we “look like” the fact of aging farther into adulthood melts away the things that create misfits.  As we get older the differences in location, upbringing, culture, race — all the stereotypes blend and blur (on the outside) into our general appearance.  We “look like” we become similar and begin to fit with each other.  Looks are deceiving — I saw that even though I’m at the far-end of adulthood, I still don’t fit in.  I’m fine with that.   Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face…

Maxmann at Pixabay
Maxmann at Pixabay

…And I just can’t find my way back to the November novel. Was I procrastinating?  Most likely.  Now, dozens of other story ideas keep jumping out in front of me.  Even a new idea for Birdie and Jinx from “Brother Love – a Crossroad”  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR).  So many new ideas, all the time.  Keys that jingle in your pocket, words that jangle in your head… 

Landscape path red-leaves fantasy DarkWorkX Pixabay
DarkWorkX at Pixabay

And all the while I just want to find the road back to my novel and to fictional “Fortune, Nevada.”  Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind… 

Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel
As the images unwind, like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind!

Excerpt from Windmills of Your Mind. Songwriters: Marilyn Bergman / Michel Legrand / Alan Bergman

From somewhere in the windmills of my mind, I send you hugs on the wing… or maybe the windmill!

***

This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2020 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

 

54 thoughts on “Wednesday Writing — or Procrastination?”

    1. Thank you, Resa. You’re so kind.
      I love that song, it gets into my head and haunts me. That particular video is my favorite cover of the song — I love her gown! And that perfect 1960s bouffant hairdo. 😀 Hugs on the wing.

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  2. Oh, Teagan, I sympathise. I too have had life throw some real nasty curveballs recently which has meant the editing of two novels being sporadic and I get new stories and characters queuing up each night while trying to sleep. Now I have a pesky cold which makes me very tired. argh…..but, thanks for posting one of my all-time fav songs. We will fight the procrastination and return to creativity soon. xxx

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    1. Dear Adele, I’m so sorry you aren’t feeling well. Ugh! Colds are awful. Do everything you can to take care of and nurture yourself.
      Yes, I finally realized that one thing causing me to avoid that particular novel is that I’m not satisfied with the underlying “dilemma” of the story — or rather how to resolve that dilemma. So, yesterday I tried brainstorming over the phone with a friend. She didn’t have any usable ideas, but that wasn’t my real purpose anyhow (I wouldn’t want someone else’s idea). Just in discussing it out loud, a couple of things “fired” in my thoughts, third-level (as I think of it) things that I could use as a means of resolving the dilemma. Get well soon, my friend. Hugs on the wing!

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  3. I don’t think you were procrastinating at all. You got a lot of work done. I don’t work near as hard as you on my writing. Your novel will get done in due time. Keep up the good work. 👍

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    1. Welcome Lori! Thanks so much for visiting and commenting. I appreciate your encouragement.
      With this particular novel… I basically am. The plot got tangled in an old cobwebbed windmill of personal stuff, and became difficult to write. But I still want to write it, and I’m working on how to re-approach it. The silver lining is that the procrastination let me get other things finished.
      This blog is usually more fun than this post. I hope you’ll come back. Hugs on the wing!

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  4. Teagan, if that is procrastination you’ve done a heck of a lot of work in between, many publications! (One of which I’ve just reviewed on my blog today – Speak Flapper!). Seriously, I can identify with your post here, I have a degree in procrastination … even my son teases me about it. At school, I would wait until the last minute for homework deadlines as I always work under stress – very odd. I am so sorry you’ve been ill and it is so draining – even if the symptoms are better, it takes longer to fully recover from the exhaustion. Good luck with your latest novel … and hope the windmills stop turning soon! hugs xx ❤️

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    1. You slayed me with “degree in procrastination,” Annika. I had just stumbled upon your review — and I’m beyond thrilled! I was having a difficult morning, and you really turned it around.
      It means a lot to me that you enjoyed the dictionary. I put many hours of thought into how I might make it entertaining.
      As for those windmills… I think I need to catch hold of one of the blades and let it spin me out to the right destination! LOL.
      Heartfelt thanks. You are surely the caterpillar’s kimono! ❤

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      1. Bless, Teagan, I’m so happy if you managed to bring a bit of sunshine into your difficult morning – it’s wonders when life falls like that! I loved the book and had so much sharing words with my family and have them guess the meaning of the words! (I can see a board game here!)

        Take care with those windmill blades … just make sure they fling in you in the right direction. hugs xx

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    1. Robbie, if you said you procrastinated, I’d be shocked. Work alone is enough to make it impossible to write. My job always left me exhausted physically and drained of creativity. But you also have family, kids & their events, baking… I would never manage to write at all.
      Yes, thanks. I’m finally feeling like myself. Some of the depression that came with being sick so long still lingers, but I’m working on it. Huge hugs to you and yours.

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  7. There are times when the only words that fit are, “Timing is everything” and that seems to be what jumped out at me when I read your post. We push ourselves so hard that when we let up for a minute, we become guilt-ridden (or at least I do). Just look at all you accomplished while you were procrastinating, Teagan! 🙂 Hugs!

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    1. Thank you, Jan.
      Haha! I guess I’m living prof that procrastination has nothing to do with laziness.
      I made the mistake of letting this story get it’s protagonist tied up in my own PTSD. While it was great for character development, it took the fun out of it (at least for me). I need to figure out how to make it fun again. Great big hug back.

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  9. I’ve always loved that song by the Bergmans, especially Dusty’s version of it.

    These respiratory bugs are a bear, and can be very depressing. I had finally go to Urgent Care last weekend and am now on antibiotic, which seems to be working for what wasn’t clearing. Superinfections and secondary infections are common.

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    1. Indeed they are, Lavinia. I’m happy to know that you are getting better. When that stuff gets into the lungs, it’s really scary. I’m lucky to have avoided that part. But three weeks of diarrhea was no picnic either… Keep getting better, my friend. ❤ Hugs on the windmill!

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    1. You’ve sure got that right about the things I’ve been killing myself to do around the house, Tim. I’m going to have to take that advice more — despite a $&@# landscaper giving me a $2500 estimate to re-rock the very small area in my backyard… (Gurrr!). It never goes well (for finishing) when I take a break from a story. And I left this one for too long. Still not sure what to do about it. Hugs on the wing.

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  14. I’m kinda feeling the same way and have skipped posting a few weeks. I just can’t seem to get motivated to post. I’m out making images, but don’t like most of them so, I’m letting them marinate awhile.

    You’re still writing and the ideas are coming so, you’ll get back to your novel. There’s a reason for the pause with that novel you just can’t see it…yet.

    This post was very creative! The song is very apropos to this phase of the journey. Hugs from the windmills of my mind to yours! xx

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    1. Deborah, I’m sorry to hear I’m not the only one tilting at windmills. The images you choose to post are always so beautiful, and so stunningly professional… it’s hard to imagine not liking any of the ones you hold back. But I expect the impossible from myself, so I understand what you mean. I’m glad you took a moment to stroll with me. Hugs on the windmill!

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  15. We’re in the same boat – except I haven’t released two books between NaNo and now, so you’re definitely more productive, lol. I started the sequel to Subject A36 during NaNo, but haven’t gotten back to it yet. The current plan is to start next week. I’m a champ at procrastination. Hugs, Teagan!

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    1. Well, they were very small books, Teri. And Speak Flapper had been being gathered for about 7 years. I’ve started Subject A36 and love it! So glad you’re doing a sequel. Here’s hoping no windmills get in your way. Great big hug right back!

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  17. I think Procrastination is a impish child in a large family of devious delaying demons. Lots of things get in the way of progress. Sometimes, I wonder why I’m doing what I’m doing instead of what I started out to do.

    I hope you can corral the lot of them and lock the gate shut, and get back on track (out of the tunnels).

    I do love the way you pulled this together. Shows me you still got it, girl.

    Good luck cruising over the hump. I hope you have a great rest of the week.

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    1. Applesauce! That was so very well put, Dan, “an impish child in a large family of devious delaying demons” — love it!
      Thank you for mentioning the structure. My editor-brain had a field day with this post, moving things around repeatedly, making sure the lines from the song were still in order, looking for best fits to the paragraphs, and then re-ordering them again… I haven’t done that much of that type of editing in a long time.
      Wishing you an easy coast down the other side of the midweek hump. Great big hug!

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    1. Sigh… oh, I’m writing… if I could just stick to that one particular book. (Bangs head on wall. Gets pillow, then bangs head less painfully.) 😀 Thanks for your encouragement, Priscilla. Hugs on the wing!

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  19. Teagan, it seems you and I have been living the same life lately … well except for the being sick part. I can’t believe the number of distractions bombarding me the past couple of months, and the creative ideas just keep piling up. I get paralyzed by which direction to go in and often end up doing not much of anything.

    Focus. I’m missing focus.

    Hope you find yours soon too.

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    1. Yes! That sounds like me too, Joanne. I am sorry you have the same thing.
      I guess I just don’t feel the story is “technically” good enough… But that’s how I feel most of the time. Yes… Need to focus… And get coffee ☕… Lots of coffee ☕☕☕☕. Hugs on the windmill!

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  21. You sure have been busy, Teagan, even if not always how you planned. The best laid plans and all that… It is often the case life takes us down a different path than the one we intended to travel, but it can work out for the better.
    I don’t think you’re in a spinning wheel, because you’re moving forward, at least from where I’m looking.
    Big hugs and remember that only those who don’t fit in make big things happen.

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  22. Teagan, I like how you weaved lyrics into your thoughts. Very creative. Of course, that’s the beauty of you writing . “Hugs on the windmill”
    Perfect example. You’ll get back to your November novel, sometime. Maybe other stories first. Hugs, 🤗 my friend! 📚🎶Christine

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