Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The (lost) art of writing

The Art of Writing by Laura Baumbach

Well, this is a tough subject for me. I’ve been an author for over 10 years, published first in print then I jumped deep into ebooks. Now I own my own print/ebook publishing house with 2 additional imprints. I’m also a wife of thirty years and mom to young men aged 21 and 13 now. Oh, and a grandmother of one toddler, too. Finding the time to write has been increasingly difficult as the business and family grew.

I began publishing so many terrific authors I was convinced no one would notice I wasn’t putting out as many titles as before. Wouldn’t readers rather I make it possible for them to have all those other awesome storyteller than just me? I thought so. I mean I haven’t stopped writing, I manage a short story once or twice a year -- just barely.

Until recently.

Recently, as in the last six months, I have been feeling like something is missing, something not quite right by the end of the day. Like I lost something and can’t remember what I lost. Weird, huh? It’s not that I’m not busy. Running a successful press and imprints is a huge commitment from not only me, but my family as they handle life with me as an absent mom/wife a lot.

But I’ve been noticing that scenes, scenes that depict an event in an unknown story, have started coming to me at night again. Most of my books have been written because of a character or scene that popped into my head as soon as I lay down to sleep. It’s like they can’t flow out into my consciousness until I’m horizontal. Weird again, I know. And I’m starting to lose that feeling of having forgotten something at the same time.

I think what I lost was my inspiration to write and I couldn’t remember where I left it. Luckily for me, it just might be coming back. Which is a great thing because I don’t seem to be complete without.

4 comments:

B. A. Binns said...

Please get your inspiration again. I've told you before I want more about Antonio and Gabriel. You have some awsome stories inside you, get those out into books. The publishing is important (and the grandmothering) but don't rob your devoted readers.

Judith Ashley said...

I'm another one whose initial story-line comes in scenes or when I'm horizontal...so I don't think its weird at all.

Glad the inspiration is coming back. Must be that you do have more stories to tell your audience.

Sarah Raplee said...

When you describe that feeling of having lost something, it strikes a chord with me. That's how I feel on most days I don't write.

Maybe your business took most of your creative energy for a long time,but now you need to go in another direction. Time to delegate! (Easier said than done, right?)

Your readers will be overjoyed to read more award-winning love stories as they flow out of your subconcious onto the page.

Happy writing!

Tam Linsey said...

Here's to hoping the break from writing yields amazing stories that have been building up inside you.