check in for 9/28/2012—start your engines!

[erika]

ALL DRIVERS: Don't forget to sign up for the October WIP Challenge if that's your thing!

This poll was inspired by the E.L. Doctorow quote about writing:

It's like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.

Poll #11759 check in for 9/28/2012—start your engines!

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 8

View Respondents

How was your drive today?

View Answers
Mean: 5.00 Median: 4.5 Std. Dev 3.16

road rage 1		1 (16.7%)
2		1 (16.7%)
3		0 (0.0%)
4		1 (16.7%)
5		1 (16.7%)
6		0 (0.0%)
7		0 (0.0%)
8		1 (16.7%)
9		0 (0.0%)
easy like Sunday morning 10		1 (16.7%)

Today, I felt like my time in the car was spent:

View Answers

really getting somewhere (writing)
3 (37.5%)

having to do maintenance (editing)
1 (12.5%)

trying to figure out if this was the right vehicle for the job (research!)
1 (12.5%)

actually arriving at my destination (posted!)
0 (0.0%)

taking a break from the drive (leisure time or other activities took precedence)
3 (37.5%)

fantasizing about where i'd like to go (general not listed writing activities)
3 (37.5%)

If your writing were a car, what type of car would you be driving?

View Answers

Sports car-- I get where I'm going pretty fast (unless the cops pull me over ...)
1 (12.5%)

Family van-- I want everyone to enjoy what I'm doing, and it may take me a little longer
0 (0.0%)

SUV -- I have my own goals, and I'm gonna go off-road when I want.
2 (25.0%)

Regular sedan -- I keep going at my own pace, and I'm okay with that.
2 (25.0%)

Motorcycle -- I don't have much support, really, but I'm having a great time enjoying the ride!
2 (25.0%)

Mini -- I can't carry much baggage, but there's room for a friend and everything I need!
0 (0.0%)

Convertible-- I don't tend to speed, but I do really enjoy out of the way places & just enjoying the scenery.
0 (0.0%)

Some other car you neglected to mention in this poll, heathen.
1 (12.5%)

My apologies for not posting this until after midnight my time; I had some distressing health news today.

However, this does lead into our discussion question: What do you do when real life infringes on what you want to write about? Whether it's by time, or finding a novel that STOLE YOUR IDEA GRRRRRR (even if it was written 20 years previously ;) ) or just because you can't spare the energy... how do you deal with it?

Comments

[lea_hazel]

If the book is good I'm okay with it, because I want the story and having it already in hand is shorter than having to wrestle it into submission. If the story is bad, then I can do better and it's not a threat to me, on the contrary. If the story is mediocre, or good with bad patches, then fanfic.

[erika]

That seems like a very healthy perspective!

[linaewen]

Lately, life is constantly infringing on my writing -- mostly by keeping me too busy and then draining me of the will to do anything except loaf around and brainlessly surf the net. I haven't been able to deal with that properly as yet during this current season of "too busy" but I must if I'm going to take back control of my time. I guess I'll have to make writing more of a priority so that it receives the benefit of my energy before I run out.

When my idea is stolen by another story, I write it anyway, but I might try to figure out a way to change my idea to make it uniquely mine, or to at least make it obvious that I did not copy the other idea. I'm more likely to scrap an idea because the research shows it won't actually work than to not write it because someone else also had the same idea!

[erika]

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I told the boy the other day that "for someone who doesn't work, I sure have a lot of shit to do anyway."

[elistaire]

Major Research Day! Learning to ride a motorcycle. Oh yeah.

[erika]

So jealous! <3

[elistaire]

I passed the exams and got my endorsement! : )

I highly recommend the DMV beginner course. I went from a complete non-rider to a rider!