White for Writing

We’re finally having our first snowfall of the year and it’s absolutely beautiful. I’m always happy to have any day that isn’t sunny but there’s a special calmness that comes with snow and the light way it flutters to the ground. I could watch it for hours.

I have to admit that I’ve been a bad writer since the end of National Novel Writing Month. I think I burnt myself out with the extreme writing and I’ve had a hard time getting back to it now that I’m doing the rewriting for the second draft and I don’t have a deadline looming over my head. I know, I know, I’m being too hard on myself and I need a break. The problem? Regardless of how much I need the break, I have a hard time going to sleep when I haven’t written that day. I’ve gotten so used to writing everyday that not writing actually stresses me out, not because I’m pushing myself too hard but because it’s really become a part of who I am now. I feel like something is missing. Don’t tell me you don’t freak out when you can’t get online for a whole day…that’s what I thought. It’s just like that.

Thankfully, I finally felt relaxed enough to write last night and I got about 1,700 words written and 3 chapters edited. I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and I felt normal again. Not to mention the sense of accomplishment that always comes with a day of good writing. I’m not ready to go back to the craziness of NaNoWriMo (until next November, at least) but I do want to make enough time for at least a little bit of writing each day, as hard as that might be sometimes. It’s harder to go without it.

The great news is that it’s going to be snowing for at least the next few days. The beauty and calmness that comes with rain and snow always relaxes me more than anything else and makes the artistic side of me flourish so I’m looking forward to a beautiful week of white weather and spending time with some of my favorite people–my characters.