Tayari's Blog: Something I Have To Do For Me
Posted by TayariJones on May 14, 2009 07:37 AM
Filed under
The Writing Life
I am posting this just as I am taking off for a month in Martha’s Vineyard. I’m taking the time to be alone and to write. I’m excited and nervous at the same time, as I have never done anything quite like this before, and I have never been to the Vineyard. Yes, I have gone to writers residencies, but I have never embarked on real solitude. It’s a commitment, I won’t lie. Although a family friend gave me a good deal, I am still shelling out a few bucks on the rental. I’ll have to get there, which means I had to get my car (affectionately known as “The Bucket”) serviced, and there is just also the realness of preparing to leave home for a month.
Why all the drama? Why not just set up a DIY writing clinic in my apartment. I do have a dedicated room just for writing. I’m getting away because I feel that I have been distracted from myself by my life. I have been way too busy being too many things to too many people and I have really gotten out of touch with my work. I know that this happens to everyone, but I feel particularly frustrated because I spend so much time telling other writers to put themselves first. But here I am, in the same trap as everyone else.
I am trying not to set goals in terms of word count. Although, I want to challenge myself, I don’t want to crack the whip. I want to be motivated by the story, not by people telling me how long it has been since my last book, not by the ticking of my tenure clock. The only thing I am committing to is to sitting down for five days a week and spending at least two hours working. I know two hours seems like a modest commitment when I have all day, but I figure two hours is enough time to get the fire burning if it wants to burn.
I’ll still be blogging, but probably not as much. I imagine there will be more post about the nuts and bolts of writing a novel, as less about the business of being a novelist, which is probably a good thing.
Preparing for this trip feels so different than other times that I have gone away. Maybe because there is nothing in it for me but peace and quiet. There is no resume line to be gained. I am not nurturing a fantasy about meeting people or making contacts. I feel like I am preparing to meet up with an old friend, and that old friend is me.
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There are 8 comments on "Something I Have To Do For Me". If you'd like to leave a comment, click here to jump down to the comments entry form.
Comment #1, by Martha Southgate ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.tayarijones.com/blog/nav-commenters.gif)
Good job, Tayari. At the risk of being presumptuous, I'm going to suggest that you take the even bolder step of committing to yourself that you will spend at least one week of your time on the Vineyard offline entirely. No blogging, no twittering, no emailing (if you can stand it). It will probably be frightening and difficult but it could also be revelatory.
I think for a writer, some genuine solitude of the mind is crucial and extremely easy to let go by the wayside these days. We'll be here when you get back. Think about taking this time for you and your work. Good luck and much peace to you.
May 14, 2009 08:31 AM
Comment #2, by hotwater cornbread
so excited for you...
May 14, 2009 10:26 AM
Comment #3, by Allie
excited, happy, inspired...
May 14, 2009 10:36 AM
Comment #4, by Jade Park
Tayari, you are so inspiring. I hope the time in the Vineyard is very good to you.
May 14, 2009 10:55 AM
Comment #5, by Laraine
Yay, Tayari!
I feel as you have written. I teach 5 sections of creative writing a semester, and just this morning was thinking how hypocritical I have been this semester -- telling them to write, to (fill in the blank) -- and I have just been so tired & overwhelmed at work and somehow unable to find the balance. I miss my work. Graduation is tomorrow, and I am also looking forward to several months without the words of others.
Have an amazing time reconnecting with the source of your work.
:-)
Laraine
May 14, 2009 12:41 PM
Comment #6, by Ravi Howard
Tayari--
Yahoo (and Google, I think) have several timeclock widgets that you can download to your desktop. I've used one in the past, and it has helped me to own my writing hours without the pressure of a page count. Happy writing, Ravi
May 14, 2009 02:50 PM
Comment #7, by Michael Fauver
Enjoy! You're so generous to others, it's time that you're generous to yourself.
May 14, 2009 07:55 PM
Comment #8, by michaelTO
There is a reason that do rhymes with you. Do for you. Have the time you need to have. Write on sister. Write on.
May 15, 2009 01:49 PM