How Writing Affects My Life & Vice Versa

My writing affects my life and my life affects my writing. Or  something.

This seems rather like a Schrödinger’s cat kind of thing.  Maybe? Kinda? Let’s roll with it because this graphic amuses me.

 

Rather than going into a long, drawn out treatise on how this all works, I’m just gonna share some examples of things that happen around here that will illustrate this phenomenon.

My life affects my writing. 

I’ll hear some bit of random conversation, and it’ll spark an idea.

I’ll hear something hilarious and want to work it into a story.

I’ll (or someone I love will) do something stupid, and it’ll give me a story/scene idea.

Life sometimes is so damn crazy, I don’t have time to write as much as I want.

Not writing makes me cranky.

My life is hectic, so I have to write with interruptions or just write for short bursts at a time.

Sometimes, I have to keep really shitty hours just to get some words in.

My writing affects my life.

This is more like my writing affects my family’s life, but I always get great ideas while I’m either showering or driving so my poor family is constantly having to take notes for me. Unfortunately, if it’s a saucy bit, I’ll have to use a special kind of shorthand, because while my children and I have a very open relationship, they don’t need their mom dictating questionable dialogue so she doesn’t forget it later.

My head is almost constantly in my story. Grocery shopping? In addition to buying a lot of fancy cheese, I’m choreographing a fight (or sex) scene in my head. Pumping gas? Yeah, but I’m also figuring out the transition between once scene and another. Driving from point A to point B? I’m thinking about the next big plot point, or, in the case of this current story, the big black moment. Sewing? Knitting? Playing with clay? Probably thinking about dialogue. Whatever story I’m working on is running in my head like a background program on a computer. I might not be even actively thinking about it, but it’s there.

I write erotic romance. If there’s a dirty joke to be made, I’ll make it. Usually with all of the aplomb of a twelve year old boy.

I see story ideas everywhere.

Songs/Cds are often stuck on repeat (much to the dismay of my family) while I’m working on a story.

I know there are more things I’m forgetting, but I’d also like to finish this chapter tonight, so I’ll leave you with the other bloggers’ thoughts on this topic.

Jess  (Heads up, blog people, Jess has been having some trouble with her blog, so if her post isn’t up when you click, it hopefully will be soon.)

Kris

Jessica

Paige

Kellie

Gwen