Confession and Writing Tip

Sometimes, I get really and truly fed up with writing. And I feel like I physically cannot write another word.  I'm like, what is the point of this? Why do I live in these imaginary worlds? And I feel really lonely because none of my Real Life friends write, and although the ones who know I do are very supportive, they have no idea what it's like to actually write a novel. Unless you have completed a novel, even a crappy one, you cannot fathom how discouraging it is in the middle and how terrible and soul-sucking a process it is. Any encouragement from non-writers really makes me want to be like, YOU HAVE NO IDEA. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE WITH MY FEELINGS, OKAY. I HAVE A LOT OF THEM.

Not because I hate my friends or don't want to talk to them about writing. Because it truly seems pointless to whine about something you personally are choosing to do. On the other hand, it also doesn't feel like much of a choice. You do it because you have to. On some weird, subconscious level. I mean, I get headaches and my eyes hurt, and I think my aversion to writing manifests physical symptoms when I have an awful writing day. And because, well, it's hard for non-writers to get it. They don't. It's fine, it's not like I expect them to, but they don't get it.

And I love my friends. They are great. They tell me I'm good to boost my self-esteem even when they haven't read a word of what I've written, and my stuff could potentially resemble cat vomit in reality. Blind trust is nice. It makes me happy when they are supportive and interested. But ultimately, writing is a task done in utter isolation.

So when I get bogged down, somewhere two-thirds in, I go to the NaNoWriMo page and read old pep talks. It doesn't make me write faster, but it makes me feel less alone. And that helps when you're smack dab in the middle of your metaphorical desert.