I took a break from writing this month, in part because I’m dealing with a lot of stress from some family issues, in part to recover from the breakneck pace I poured into the end of The Obelisk Gate and launching The Fifth Season, and in part to cleanse my mental “editing palate” for when the edit notes come back on TOG and I need to start revising. I’m working on another project right now — a mental palate-cleanser, just as I needed to write “The Awakened Kingdom” after finishing The Fifth Season — but I’m still at the brainstorming and outlining stage, not writing yet.
And… my fingertips itch.
It’s weird. I am not a “write every day” kind of writer. I write most days, and blow it off when I’m so tired that I’m just going to write crap anyway. But it’s rare that I’m completely without something to write when I want to write, and I’m finding the frustration manifesting in some truly weird physiological ways. Itchy fingertips. A weird need to sit at my computer every day even when I have nothing in particular to do. Disinterest in social media. Daydreaming, to the point that I think, “I should probably stop staring at this cloud/blade of grass/random object” and then I literally can’t look away from it. Restlessness, even when I’m physically and emotionally exhausted.
Most of this is normal for me; I always got dinged for daydreaming when I was a child, until I learned to channel that wild creative energy into writing. But the itchy fingertips are new. ::looks suspiciously at fingers::
I’ll talk about the new project — pardon, projects — shortly; just waiting for some paperwork and an OK from Various People. One of them is something I’m stupidly, fangirlishly excited about, is all I’ll say for now. But until then… writerly folk among my readers, so what kind of weird symptoms do you get when you need to write?
I go a couple days without writing, and I get a craving, like I’m starving myself when I want pizza. I’m good at habits, unfortunately.
If I go more than a week or two without writing I get depressed. Once on a trip when I hadn’t thought to bring a laptop or notebook I ended up writing on napkins to save my sanity.
If your fingers keep itching feel free to blog more! :-)
I can’t sleep if I haven’t written for the day. I think it’s a symptom of ignoring the impulse for so long.
I become antsy when I’m anxious to write something. It’s impossible for me to sit still. Whenever I get a really good idea, I have to take walk to rid myself of the nerves and even I finally sit down to write, I’m still jittering with excitement. It’s a pleasant feeling.
I get irritable when I don’t write. I don’t enjoy it at all. But it mostly sucks for the people around me…
When I want to write but “can’t” because I don’t have everything outlined like I like, I write blurbs for other ideas or come up with titles. I have a thing for pen and paper, so I’ll have random writings on loose paper.
I get physically ill. I’ll catch a cold or get flu-like symptoms. Mentally, I start shutting down and going to some very dark places. I’m just glad I’m not the only one who gets symptomatic after not writing for a while.