stories
October 2008 
Question for the Writers
Posted on May 16th, 2008
by 
Serendipity
Serendipity
There's something I need to know. Maybe the other writers here can help me. Do you have stories in your head all the time? Are there dialogs between fictional characters playing in the back of your mind while you are trying to do other things? Do you drive in the car trying to think of the perfect words to describe what you're wearing, or what you would be wearing if you were as stylish as you are in your fantasies? I was just wondering if this is something that happens to people when they write, or if I should consider some medication, because these stories get awfully distracting at times.
I've found that the only way to get the stories out of my head is to write them down. As a result, there are days when I spend more time writing in my journal than I do working. This is not necessarily a bad thing, for me, but eventually the people I work for are going to figure out that I am not getting anything productive done. Getting fired doesn't worry me. Once a couple of debts are paid, I am done there anyway. (15 months, and counting.) I just wonder if the stories are going to keep distracting me whenever I try to be productive. I can deal with it, but I will have to start carrying a journal with me everywhere. The stories are especially annoying when I'm on my yoga mat. I can't write them down while I'm standing on my head. Not yet, anyway. Maybe with more practice.
I've been writing many stories lately. Really, they are just scenes, pieces of stories, but maybe they will all fit together someday into that killer novel I'm going to write. Meanwhile, I finally figured out what I'm going to do next. I signed up for an online writing workshop. I found it a year ago, but I put it on hold while I did yoga teacher training. The training came with a heavy workload, so I'm glad I didn't try to do both at once, but now I am ready to try. In the fall, if it still sounds interesting, I will tackle the Ayurveda course I was looking at. In 2009, I am going to do a teacher training week for Baron Baptiste's power yoga. By the end of 2009, I am going to retire and teach yoga, write, and spend more time with my kids. It's a good plan.
I've found that the only way to get the stories out of my head is to write them down. As a result, there are days when I spend more time writing in my journal than I do working. This is not necessarily a bad thing, for me, but eventually the people I work for are going to figure out that I am not getting anything productive done. Getting fired doesn't worry me. Once a couple of debts are paid, I am done there anyway. (15 months, and counting.) I just wonder if the stories are going to keep distracting me whenever I try to be productive. I can deal with it, but I will have to start carrying a journal with me everywhere. The stories are especially annoying when I'm on my yoga mat. I can't write them down while I'm standing on my head. Not yet, anyway. Maybe with more practice.
I've been writing many stories lately. Really, they are just scenes, pieces of stories, but maybe they will all fit together someday into that killer novel I'm going to write. Meanwhile, I finally figured out what I'm going to do next. I signed up for an online writing workshop. I found it a year ago, but I put it on hold while I did yoga teacher training. The training came with a heavy workload, so I'm glad I didn't try to do both at once, but now I am ready to try. In the fall, if it still sounds interesting, I will tackle the Ayurveda course I was looking at. In 2009, I am going to do a teacher training week for Baron Baptiste's power yoga. By the end of 2009, I am going to retire and teach yoga, write, and spend more time with my kids. It's a good plan.
Access: Public
Yes, I have stories and character conversations going on in my head all the time. Get a miniature tape recorder with microcassettes. It's dirt cheap. For time when the storylines are crowding your head and you can't write them down (like if you're driving or trying to do yoga), just press the record button and talk them out. This may not work at your job, but at least you can be hands-free while getting a lot of your story in a place where you can collect it.
The writing workshop is an excellent idea. See if your local Barnes & Noble has a writer's session where people come together and share their work. (The BN does that in my hometown.) Good luck!
Thank you. I think I have one of those tape recorders around. I haven't used it in years, but it used to come in handy for recording lectures in college. I read you post and thought, “you mean I shouldn't be trying to write while I drive? Because I do sometimes.” (That is fair warning for anyone driving in the central New Jersey area.)
I will check out our B&N for a writers group, too.
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with the conversations going on in my head.