The Rhythms of Writing

When I was a teenager, the big thing was ‘biorhythms’. If you were having a bad day, it was put down to your biorhythms. If you couldn’t get your hair to look right, biorhythms. Or if you failed an exam or your driving test — you guessed it. Biorhythms.

You don’t hear about them anymore. They’ve been replaced by other more hip terms, no doubt just as authentic.

As you probably figured out, I’m not a believer in this sort of psycho-mumbo-jumbo. Even that bastion of reliability, Wikipedia, (NOT) calls it pseudo-science. However, I have noticed that there are definite peaks and troughs throughout the writer’s life. These can be from year to year, but they can also be hour by hour.

There are days when the words don’t come. I can sit and stare at the notepad or the computer screen, and… nothing. An hour later, or the next day and whoosh! Your fingers can’t move fast enough to get the story down.

I bet I know what some of you are thinking: if the words don’t flow, then there’s no point in trying. I should take the day off and hope tomorrow will be better. Right?

No!

If you were a lawyer, would you tell the judge and your client that you just weren’t feeling it that day, and they would have to defer the case for a day or two? You can imagine how that would work, can’t you? Or if you were a doctor, would you cancel a surgery because you were having a bad day? Of course not.

“But,” some of you say, “That’s different. I’m creative! Rules don’t apply to people like me.”

So, does that mean you don’t have to pay rent or a mortgage, like a normal person? Or buy groceries? Or make dinner.

Buckle up, Buttercup, the real world doesn’t give a toss for your ‘creative’ muse.

Writing is a job, and if you hope to succeed, you need to treat it that way.

Well, friends, I had intended this piece to be rather longer & to cover other aspects of rhythm in the writing world. However, my internet is being temperamental, so I shall have to leave things there.

Let’s hope that normal services will resume by next week.

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