Focus Point
In photography terms, a focus point refers to the small brackets, lines or circle in the middle of an autofocus point-and-shoot camera’s viewfinder that indicates where the camera is pointing. In broader terms, I like to think of it as what I’m currently putting my energy toward: be it a project, a routine to reinforce or an outlook to cultivate.
Lately, my focus point has been my son and his headache(s). We’re still dealing with this on a daily basis. He has made it to school this week for the state standardized testing, but today was a real fight to get him there. “Mom, this is my second worst headache. EVER!” *sigh* He was feeling a bit better over the weekend and the past two days after school he’s been miserable. He complained yesterday that he spent an hour and a half in the health office and even got sick, but the health tech wouldn’t call home because he’d missed so much school already. Hopefully, she’ll call today if he feels as bad as he says he does.
So what’s this have to do with writing? I have no focus lately. I’m still only about 15 pages into this book and I’m fighting for ever word. I don’t think I can say I’m actually experiencing writer’s block in the traditional sense of the phrase because to me that implies that you’re putting in serious effort in trying to get something onto the page. It feels more that I don’t know where I’m trying to go with the story so, I’m muddling my way through a heavy fog.
One of the things, I’d wanted to work on in my mentor program was learning to build a road map I can trust. I feel like I’m still a ways from that point. It feels like there are too many unanswered questions in the “yes, but HOW do I show this happening” part of my “working outline”. I like my characters to surprise me, but I find I still need a very detailed roadmap in order to get anywhere.
I know I have focus issues on the best of days. Having so many less than ideal days in a row is frustrating to say the least. Maybe I just have the attention span of a fruit fly, but there’s got to be a better way to work with it instead of continually against it. I need to find a way to deal with constant interruptions to keep track of where my thoughts had been and where they should be going.
I think this is why the snowflake method was so appealing. The idea is to constantly build on what you’ve already got. With Revealed, that approach seemed to work rather well. I suspect the trick is making sure all of the basic elements are present from the beginning.
Anyway, off to write something down…
I got my focus back and lost it again. I think it has to do with family issues. Cut yourself some slack, and wait it out. The writing will come back when you’re not so stressed. It’s your kid. You’re going to be scattered. 🙂
((hugs))
At least he made it to school all last week and working on day two for this week!
It just feels like horrible timing to be so scattered with just a month left in the mentor program. I’m trying to work when I can and have the house to myself, but it’s slow going. I’ll try not to beat myself up about it though. 🙂
It’ll straighten out in the end, you’ll see. If it doesn’t all work out, I’m pretty good with plot holes and lines, you know? Bouncing ideas? 🙂
I relate to this. I had a moment where I got sick of all the time I was wasting and decided to trash both my website and my blog. I’ve never done that before and in my purging enthusiasm I lost literally every blog I’ve written in the past 3 years. Now it’s just an ocean of whitespace and I’m not sure if I think that’s awesome or horrific. I do wish I’d kept some of them.
Anyway, what I’m trying to say with my blathering is that a lot of us seem to have this problem and I don’t even have sick kids to deal with. You’re an awesome mom cut yourself some slack!
I was telling Bria the other night, sometimes I have to whine loud enough and long enough to convince myself I’ve hit bottom and can only go up from there. I’m not proud of it, but by jumping on the MayWriMo I’ve written 2,112 words in the past two days. I gave up on the spot I was stuck and moved on. I’m horrible with deadlines, but this will be a good push for the month. I claimed a goal of 30k for the month figuring ~1k a day would be achievable. Wish me luck!
But dude, that sucks about your blog! I’d cry. Seriously. I’m a digital packrat, so I’ve got all my images from here, but I think I’ll see about exporting a copy of my posts as well now.
I focus much easier when my house is quiet in the mornings and the only noise is of my own choosing. Peter Gabriel’s Passion is the “white noise” of choice most days. The soundtrack to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a close second. I’m also back to stalking the divas chat room, but I find I do much better with more challenge and less random chatter. I like knowing others are working along side me. Maybe I need to be better about hiding that window so I can’t see when it scrolls. 🙂
Anyway, get to have lunch with Jeannie Lin and some of her family tomorrow as they’re in town for a wedding. Fun, fun!
That funny, that my writing schedule is pretty much like yours.
I lose focus every now and then as well, but I’ve been a creative person long enough to know that my focus will always come backas long as I don’t force it.
Yeah, mine tends to come back too, Jamal. It’s just a matter of getting it to return to the same project or even same TYPE of project. LOL