“This is why we tell fictional stories. To connect with others at some level by creating worlds that express truths that facts alone cannot.”
Like many work-where-you-want professions, writing can have an isolating effect on one’s life. Many people may assume that being free of annoying bosses/co-workers and able to set your own hours would be a perfect way to live.
The truth is that people are social animals. This is why we tell fictional stories. To connect with others at some level by creating worlds that express truths that facts alone cannot.
One of the biggest problems I have is that I often get lost in my created worlds in my head. They say writers never really go on vacations, because they’re always working, if only thinking about their next story. Believe me, it’s inconvenient when you get lost in thinking about a story while your husband is saying something he thinks is important. Coming back with the words, “Huh? I’m sorry. What was that?” can lead to some sketchy domestic situations.
This is why it’s important for writers to let go of those worlds now and then and go out and do something else. Things like socializing, exercise, a hobby, taking a trip – these are all great ways to clear one’s mind and, ultimately, keep the creative juices flowing.
With the “bush man” in San Francisco.
Writing a novel or any long-form book or article is a time-consuming task, but it can’t all be done at once. Thus, the importance of taking breaks and stepping back from the project, now and then. For it’s important to remember that writing long-form fiction is a marathon, not a sprint.
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