I've always been a HUGE reader- the kind of kid who got in trouble for reading too much in school, who tried the One Tree in Brooklyn feat of reading every book in the library and succeeded (at least in the young adult section :) ). Even when I was an English/Writing double major in college, and read three novels a week for class, I *still* read for fun.
But lately, I've been so exhausted by writing my 3,000+ words a day, trying get hours at work, and battling a head cold that I haven't read much. Or at least, not much in proportion to how much I've been writing.
Lately, I feel like my writing has been suffering. It's not "fun" right now- it feels like a real job. Writing *is* work, and it *is* tough- but it shouldn't feel like a slog.
The thing is, if I back off, everything will just take even *LONGER* and as has been obvious, I'm constantly annoyed with myself for how long it takes for me to get even the rough guide of my ideas on paper.... so the idea of it taking even more time makes me want to back my head against a cinderblock.
This is mostly a battle with my adult novel. I don't know what to do to get the magic back. I've begun second-guessing myself, forgetting what I thought was great about the idea or the characters in the first place.... I've fallen out of love. The thing is, I don't think it's because that story is unlovable, I think it's just that I feel tapped.
So, the question is: how to refuel without hurting my productivity?
Possible Answers I've come up with so far:
-Read more- even if it takes time away from writing.
-Have a lower daily quota of writing.
-Concentrate on only ONE project for a while.
-Split your concentration between the two current projects and something completely different (ie personal essays?)
Vote?
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