Feeling the funk…

So things are going well all around, dear blog, though it’s been far too long since I’ve updated you. There are things to rejoice about (I just finished the first draft of my 6th book about a month ago, hooray!) and life outside of writing is great, the family is healthy, I’m good, my 5th book is still on submission, though we are probably nearing the end of that process.

And yet…

Writing-wise, I’ve been in a bit of a funk. I pushed hard to finish this first draft (though it took longer than I would have ideally liked to finish it), and I’m pleased with it. My husband, who is one of my primary CP’s, did a thorough reading, proofing and critique of it, and had some great (although majorly world-disrupting) feedback. But THAT’S AWESOME. FANTASTIC. It’s exactly what the book needs and I know it.

But for the last month or so, I’ve been not feeling excited to dive back into my current story and into edits. I think I love the drafting process, but it’s always such a stretch to my brain to dive back in and re-imagine the parts and pieces and rewrite and re-fit things together. I’ve always been good at stories, never good at story problems. At least now, I know what the book needs and that these changes will move it so much further down the court. I’ve just got to sit down and do it. And that’s where I’m in a bit of a funk.

I’m currently experiencing the phenomenon where I decide instead to be busy distracting myself with doing all sorts of other good things – and I do have a full time job, and am a full-time mom and wife besides my writing – but am not getting anything done on the book at hand.

Editing is a bit of a slog, but I know that’s just the reality of it. The funk is real, and the motivation is often not there to tear it all apart and rebuild. And I realize that’s when we have to rely on discipline and structure to get it done and remind myself that if I DO sit my butt in the chair at the computer, with my designated spotify playlist long enough, things DO start to happen. So here I go once again: slide out chair, insert butt, headphones on.