Digging Out

Over the weekend I watched Winter Storm Jonas (aka Snowzilla, aka Snowmaggedon) wreak havoc over much of the US. Somehow, my part of the world was spared the white stuff and I am immensely grateful, especially as I hear from my friends and family in other parts of the country attempting to dig out of this mess. I’ve been there before myself – so much snow that you feel like the world is closing in on you. Heavy, cold, and wet, it keeps you from moving forward.

As a writer, sometimes I feel like there’s a snowstorm going on in my head. Story ideas, characters, plot lines, and goal-motivation-conflict on the one side battles with deadlines, editing, proofreads, formatting, and marketing on the other. Imagine one of those weather maps that show the jet-stream and how the two opposing sides come together to form a storm – in this case a snow storm.

So what do I do when this happens?

I dig myself out. I sort and prioritize and sometimes tell my characters to shut the heck up so I can move forward a snow shovel at a time. Sometimes this means I clear a small path which is fine since I can still walk that path. Or if I’m really lucky I can clear a patch around me (think snow blower). Either way, I find a way to move.

And if you’re still trying to dig your way out of the snow, remember that you can always snuggle up with a good book in the meantime! For two more days, Mind Sweeper is 99cents…