Mindy Halleck

Returning to the Writing life

Posted on February 23, 2022 Updated on February 23, 2022

Since last year I have abandoned my writing, my blog, my health, and much of my life. Not due to covid, though that has certainly made life more difficult. I’ve lost my mother and my two younger brothers in the last few months. It’s been a painful time. For me, pain does not inspire creative flow. For some writers it does. But not me.

I envy those writers who write through the storms of life, when I feel like all I can do is try to survive them. If you’re one of those writers, my hat is off to you, I curtsey, I bow, and I’ll even have a nip of scotch in your honor.

When life gets tough I tend not to write. I tend to binge on movies or Netflix and chill. Ozark was great, but while my brothers were sick in December and January, both passing 30 days apart, I binged Longmire, not just because I like the show, but it was their favorite also. We were in need of a hero like Walt Longmire.

Anyway, getting back to my writing life, rediscovering some creative energy is a life-saver. I, we are so lucky, so blessed to have writing as an outlet for our emotions, the good and the bad.

Since I hadn’t looked at my WIP (work in progress) in a good long time, I needed to review my notes and writing tools, to get back in the saddle, in Longmire speak.

After rereading my premise (a vital #writers tool) I started my rewrite. Below is from David Corbett’s book The Art of Character—another vital writer’s craft guide.

This premise example from The Hunger Games is great.

I’m back on track with my writing life now and it feels great. I still may watch the series, Longmire again, for the 4th time, just because it reminds me of my brothers. They’d like that. But meanwhile, I’m writing again, walking again, living again after holding my breath (so to speak) for over a year.