Puddle Jumping

PROCESS- Friends to pull you out of the Mud!

Boy oh boyo! Yesterday caught me down in the dumps! What's a girl to do when the doldrums get you? (I'm immediately drawn into the chapter from The Phantom Tollbooth, when the main character is caught in the doldrums by the creatures there that lazily hang about. These are NOT your friends!)

I tried the internet. I searched the things I love: crafts, Amazon, new Barbies. I tried reading. In my mind I had it all figured out. If I could reach 75 pages I would be stuck in good! I could read away my somber attitude. No such luck. Even though the characters in the book are great, the writing fast-paced, and the plot intriguing, I didn't read more than five pages.

I flipped through my magazines—ripping out one great idea at a time. My motions were repetitive, and I was going nowhere. I tried on clothes (warning: Do NOT try on clothes when you are moody). Finally, I went to sleep. No matter what I did, I could not escape my droopy mood.

But this morning…things are better! I'm not sure if it was the sleep I needed, or the mindless activities to get me re-focused. Whatever the problem, today I am cured!

After a good hair-cut, a short antiquing spree (part of my Artist's Way requirement!) and a healthy dose of caffeine, I'm back!

Part of that "feeling good" was stopping by the coffee shop to see a friend during her book signing. Although she and I are not "phone-a-friend" type of friends at this stage, we are writing buddies. We share the same critique group and often write about similar themes and genres. And seeing her so happy and excited about her book only makes me happy and excited for her. That's what writing buddies are about. She inspires me. She makes me want to write more today. To go a little further than I did the day before (remember, yesterday I did nothing so this should be easy!). When a writer gets stuck, surrounding her/himself with writer friends should be our #1 line of defense!

If you don't have a critique group or a writing buddy, I encourage you to find one. Joining the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a great place to start!

See my writing buddy’s website: http://www.gailwilkinson.net/