Does writing energize or exhaust you? That is this week’s Open Book question and it is an interesting one. This is the first time I am participating in this blog hop so, hopefully, I have followed the rules correctly.
For me, it depends entirely on what I am writing and its purpose. If I am writing poetry, I usually get an idea for the content and then the rest flows easily and I rarely do much editing. It is invigorating and not tiring.
If I am writing fiction, I am usually energize while I am writing and I feel fatigued afterwards. Writing is a bit like exercising, you feel invigorated while you are doing it but afterwards you feel a healthy tiredness.
Writing fiction that is based on real events or which has a strong historical thread is tiring for me. I find that I can only write between 1 000 and 2 000 words a day when I am doing this kind of writing, which is most of the time as that is the kind of writing I like. When I am writing pure fiction, I can write between 3 000 and 4 000 words a day. Of course, as I work full time and have a family, I don’t write every day, most of my writing is done over weekends and during holiday periods. I try to be disciplined about it as otherwise I will never get anything finished.
While the Bombs Fell and Through the Nethergate both contain strong historical threads. I started writing TTNG the day I sent WTBF off to my publisher last year. That was in early July. I finished this book and sent it for developmental editing in early March this year, so it took me approximately eight months to write this 72 000 word novel and do all the necessary research. That works out to approximately 2 200 words per week. I then spent another five weeks, firstly, re-writing it and then with the final edits. It went to my publisher at the end of the first week in May. I spent another three weeks proofing it during June.
I find the whole writing process exciting and interesting. I enjoy the challenge of the research and piecing the story line together. I love receiving my development editing feedback as it has been so useful to date and I have strived to incorporate the advice I have received into my writing going forward. It would be easier, I expect, if I could stick to a particular genre or style of writing, but where is the fun in that?
Click below to take the portal to find out what the other writers said!
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
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roberta-writes.com 
If I become immersed in a scene, writing flows like a fast-running river, but if I’m having trouble setting that scene it becomes a quagmire! lol
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This is such a lovely description, Jacquie. I can just imagine it.
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I love Jacquie’s answer. That pretty much sums up how I feel about writing too. There are times when the faucet is set to full blast and never lets up, other times when the words slow to a trickle. I suppose those are things all writers deal with, but we always go back, LOL.
Happy writing, Robbie!
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I seem to be a bit of a slow and steady type of writer, Mae. I have never written more than 3 000 words in a day. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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I once managed 7500. Haven’t hit it again since. There are other days when I’m lucky to eke out a paltry 1K
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I’m generally a slow writer too. Don’t have the concentration that I used to have.
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Thanks for reading, Stevie. I am a perfectionist so I spend a lot of time thinking about what to write and sometimes I think of a book I have read that has a similar scene and then I go and read it to consider the style. I am a learner writer so I expect to take longer than others who have written lots of books, but, in saying that, I am happy with slow and steady.
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Me too.
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You’re tired after writing, but it’s a good kind of tired from accomplishment.
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Yes, that is it exactly. It’s like the tiredness after a workout. A happy tired. Thanks for visiting.
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Or giving birth, yeah?
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Not that bad!
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A few hours of absolute misery produces incredible joy. Glad I had both of them, wouldn’t do it again. Books, however …. 🙂
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Reblogged this on aurorawatcherak.
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Thank you for sharing.
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I’m sorry but don’t know how to do a blog hop, however, I found your description of writing interesting. Thank you for your insight.
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Welcome to the blog hop! Daniel, if you blog on a regular basis, you’re welcome to join our group. There’s one writing prompt each week, and then we visit each others’ pages Find us on either facebook or MeWe.
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Thank you or clarifying the process. I have been reading a number of these blog posts for a long time and I find the topics very interesting.
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I’m actually on MeWe, joined it yesterday! I’m pretty useless with the internet in general so I’ll look you up on Facebook……Probably find you in a year or two. 😛
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It was my first one, Danny. I am glad this post interested you.
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It did as I’m always wondering why I write and I’ve never questioned how I feel when I write.
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I try to complete 2000 words every day but rarely manage to get them all on the same project.
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That is a good word count, Richard. I also try to write every day but it isn’t always on my WIP. I also write blog posts and book reviews and those are fun, but also time consuming.
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Even at the slowest you mentioned here, you write much much more in a day than me, Robbie. Keep up the wonderful work. Hugs.
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Ah, Teagan, but I am obsessive about my hobbies. Greg’s OCD comes from someone [smile]. You seem to write a fair bit to me. I have Atonement in Bloom on my list of holiday reads. I am not taking my computer so no blogging or writing.
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Writing is like an energy drink for me. I can be dead tired and when I start writing I come to life again! However, I’m not a fast writer.
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That is wonderful, Darlene. For me, it also depends on the topic. I have been writing about a future world with climate change and the fourth industrial revolution effects. I find I am mentally fatigued afterwards.
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Poetry is medatative to me. Fiction I’m in a different world so I guess you could call it a vacation:) Historical requires time but I love learning. Editing, promoting, publishing, blogs, and social media is where it gets exhausting to me.
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Thank you for sharing your experience, Denise. It is so interesting reading about how other people experience writing. As a newbie writer I expect to find it more difficult that experienced writers and more time consuming too. I love blogging. I find it relaxing.
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I have three stages of writing: imagining a scene, rendering the imagined scene into words, and (later) refining the words. The first two are easy when the scene pops up in my mind without effort. Forced imagining is exhausting, especially when I have to work out things like who knows something and who doesn’t and whether the scenes fit together logically. I haven’t figured out how to trigger effortless imagining; it either happens or it doesn’t. Sometimes forced imagining is the only way to get something finished.
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Hi Audrey, thanks for joining in this discussion. Yes, I understand what you are saying ad I like forced imagining. That is when you have to work out pivotal scenes and make sure it all comes together. It is huge mental effort.
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I get so deep into my novel/screen writing i have collapsed i sweat and tears when completing my work.
I believe it is the only way to write. With all your heart and soul.
Wishing you the best of luck in all of your writing endeavros.
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Thank you for your comment. I can see your sweat and tears in you amazing poetry.
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I’m also a slow but steady writer. As long as my characters keep talking to me, I’m happy to plod along.
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Thank you for sharing that. I am like that too. It is rather amazing how characters take on a life of their own in our writing. They start directing you.
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“It would be easier, I expect, if I could stick to a particular genre or style of writing, but where is the fun in that”
Yes! That’s exactly how I feel about writing. Great post!
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Thank you. I read an article about the difference between writing for readers and writing for yourself. I write mainly for myself and don’t worry about formulas and that type of thing.
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I think the type of writing you do requires careful thought. I love the way you combine fiction and history. And I admire that you can combine it with working and raising a family. When I was working and my children were young, I did almost no art. (K)
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I couldn’t do it when my kids were very young, Kerfe. Now that they are teenagers I am a little less in demand. Except now when they are both writing exams.
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WOW that is some very impressive output Robbie, no idea how you fit it all in! And still read and comment on our posts .. makes me feel lazy
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I like reading and commenting on people’s blogs, Kate. I really enjoy blogging. Writing is not always enjoyable. Most of the time it is but it has patches of real effort.
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and you would never shrink from a challenge Robbie 🙂
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