Writing Rewards

Writing rewards come in different guises. If a writer is lucky, some of those guises might include contracts from publishers, and those lovely royalty payouts, but there are other rewards. Apart from those aforementioned contracts, for me the next biggest reward is probably finishing a story. But completing a tricky scene, or having a epitome of how I can get out of the sagging middle of a story also bring their own rewards.

I always feel really chuffed when a story comes together. With me not making any plan for a story, it tends to be a hit and miss affair as to how the plot will eventuate. So believing a story actually has worked after sweating over it for months is a particular reward for me.

Every major writing reward deserves some sort of acknowledgement, even if that is only giving oneself a few hours out of the office, or shouting oneself a very decadent culinary treat. Anything taking me away from actually pounding the keyboard is a reward for a reasonable disciplined writer like myself.

This afternoon, I finished the first round of edits send by my editor for my latest contracted story “Impossible Liaison”. So then it became ‘treat-yourself-for-a-job-well-done’ time.

Knowing I should be straight back into my as yet unnamed work in progress, but not being able to find the enthusiasm to transfer my thinking so quickly from one set of characters to another, instead I’ve taken a few moments out to tidy up my office.

I admit to having a definite hate relationship with any type of housework, but unfortunately over time my office is the ideal place for accumulating ‘stuff’ which has no other real place in our house. Seeing my desk again, now devoid of all the ‘stuff’ accumulated on it for ages, gives me some real satisfaction.But it hasn’t been all work. I’ve enjoyed reminiscing with paperwork/booklets from two overseas trips – the southern states of USA and China – sorted through various story ideas I’d left lying around, and got to re-read some excellent advice from James Scott Bell, which I’m going to share in another post.

I’m organised now, I can do this!

I’ve accumulated many articles on all aspects of writing, my file box is almost full. But the best part of having a clean up today, I’ve taken the time to have another look at some of these articles. Many contain what has become common knowledge as my career path progresses and my understanding of writing has grown, but others still tweek my subconscious and I know if I keep the advice to the forefront of my mind as I work, my writing can only continue to improve.