The Zone

I've long been one of those people that advocates the "ass in chair" method of writing, wherein, no matter what, you plonk your ass in the chair and get some work done every single day. It's really, really easy to be an advocate of that method, until you hit a rough patch. I'm prone to these cyclical bouts of...well, not quite depression, but what I've affectionately nicknamed "the blahs."

I'm not in one of those cycles now, but it's something I've been thinking of after such a horribly long bout of said blahs. During the blahs, writing just isn't quite as important somehow. Sometimes I just plain don't. freaking. want to. Sometimes I am legitimately busy, and sometimes things happen that push writing to the bottom of the "important things to do list."

I am still one of those ass in chair people, and I kick myself all through those cycles where I pussyfoot around and find excuses where I don't feel like writing. At the end of the last cycle, I broke myself out of it by sitting down and reading the few chapters before the one I'd been working on. It got me back into the story and put me in that mindset. It made actually working a LOT easier to do, and now...well, look where I am now, right?

I think everybody's different, and some work best only writing when they feel inspired. Some people need daily structure. Some people, like me, move in cycles. I think advocating any one method is kind of dumb, because, again, everybody's different. I generally prefer a regular routine, but some people are more random and sporadic, and some people are just plain busy.

I do wonder, though, if the blah cycles sort of happen because I get tired of the structure after awhile. If it's not always the story or problems with ideas as it is I'm ready to be a bit random and sporadic. I don't know, really, but if there's one thing I can count on it's that I move in cycles if I don't have a set deadline, and even within that deadline I'll move in cycles of "workworkwork" and "just do the bare minimum" from day to day and week to week.

What about you guys? Any thoughts to share regarding my late-night* ponderings?

(Yeah, I typed this last night. I had a feeling today would be rather long and I'd get distracted, so I did it in a bit of spare time. Anyway. Hope you liked.)