Robin: Focus in the Flurry
Lately, ideas flow furiously as I move through my day. The momentum is to a degree that I have never experienced before. Ideas come in the middle of the night as well. I am no longer making the dreadful mistake of thinking I will remember them in the morning — I NEVER DO! In the past, I would have an idea and I would wake literally every hour and rehearse the idea in my head convinced that this time I would retain the inspired thought only to wake up with NOTHING. And then of course, the constant awareness of the thought throughout the night would play so vividly, that restlessness would creep in. But I digress…
The biggest fear in all this productive yumminess is that the flow will end. I admit my pessimist’s attitude when it comes to the idea of a writer being able to make a living from her craft — surely one would run out of ideas after awhile. So, rather than enjoy the bounty of material for as long as it lasts, I calculate the endgame, challenging whether or not this is the most practical use of my time given the length of time a windfall like this could possibly last.
These thoughts are hilarious given my state of life at this moment. I am a stay-at-home mom of a toddler. I am a type A, multitasking, yoga-practicing woman who has incredible amounts of energy. I have about 10 books I am in the process of reading. Three “books” are in various writing stages. I crochet to relieve stress. I am dabbling in homeschooling. I started a six week e-course this week. I run an etsy shop. Oh, and the e-course is about DREAMING BIGGER. Yeah, lack of ideas is not really my issue; it is focus.
What about you? Where does your writing anxiety stem from?
Studio Mothers: Life & Art 
yep. i’ve got inspiration/ideas in spades….it’s actually keeping with one for any duration that is the toughie.
i’m great at beginnings…it’s those middles and ends that never quite seem to come to fruition. and the inevitable penchant for tweaking.
Yes Cathy! When it comes to tweaking, I suddenly have the ability to “wing it” (and then slowly ABANDON IT for a NEW IDEA).
i suffer from the same affliction robin! it’s not a lack of idea, it’s definitely a severe lack of focus! i’ve started making more and more lists (following up on cathy’s recent). of course, then i lose my list, only to stumble back upon it and be thrilled at the awesome idea i wrote on it, which was long lost in my brain.
Curiouser and curiouser! I too have 3 WIPS and an Etsy shop, and have just applied to do a postgrad dip by correspondence…my challenge is not the fear of the productivity ending, but finishing projects at all…always desperately trying to harness the next idea while ignoring the stumpy tail of the last, and trying to mindfully parent in between…resulting in the guilts for not mindfully attending to anything wholeheartedly. *growl*
oh girlfriend, you’ve been reading my mail! And this is the SLOWED DOWN version of myself!