Sabbatical?

A question people often ask is how I come up with ideas. Coming up with ideas isn’t a problem for me. I have many stories rattling around in my head. Life is full of stories. Every day, what we experience can be a story. I have files filled with story ideas, first chapters planned out, notes written. My problem is deciding which one of those to focus on, which one to develop into a novel.

Lately I’ve been in a writing slump, one that has lasted quite a while. Some might call it a writer’s block, but I haven’t been blocked in the way most people would interpret that term. When I hear “writer’s block” I envision an author staring at a computer screen with a mind devoid of words. My slump has had more to do with wrestling with too many ideas, with not being able to settle down to one story.

During the past several months, my response to this dilemma has been task avoidance. I’ve been keeping myself busy with everything but writing. I’ve been traveling and entertaining visitors. I’ve been walking on the beach, riding my scooter, playing badminton. I’ve been pursuing other creative interests, such as painting, playing piano, knitting. I’ve been sorting photographs, making videos. I’ve been socializing and devoting time to volunteer jobs.

What I haven’t been doing is writing. That’s why you haven’t read any posts on this blog. That’s why, when someone asks me what I’m currently working on, I sheepishly mumble something about developing ideas. That’s why my book proposals haven’t been finished.

Today that has ended. My “sabbatical” is over. I have settled on a story. I have a setting (Bermuda), a protagonist (Gracie), and a plot. Here goes…