Getting in the Mood

Excuse me for being a little forthcoming, but lately I’ve had a little trouble getting in the mood. I dim the lighting, put on the music, and get into something comfortable. I tidy the room and I make sure I’ve eaten (but not too much). If I really want to get into it, I may go for a glass of wine or two. I sometimes even even light a scented candle and disconnect my phone to maximize my focus.

Oh… no, that’s not what I meant. I’m talking about setting the mood for writing.

Getting in the mood, huh? Well, this is awkward…

And in spite of all these aforementioned things, I’m having trouble. Legit. I get home from work or home from errands on the weekends and I’m just not in the mood. I sit myself down after dinner, open up the work-in-progress I’ve decided to focus on (I have two  manuscripts that are in a first draft stage and two in a revising/editing stage), and I just can’t do it. I just can’t.

If I try to write, it feels forced and unfocused. I’m lucky if I’m able to get down more than a couple hundred words at a time. If I try to revise or edit, it feels like everything I’m editing is crap and I should just toss it all and start over. I’m bitter and bored and the writing seems uninspired and bland. And it’s weird, I’ve never had that problem before. Sure, I go through ups and downs throughout the editing process, but I never reach a point where something feels hopeless or unsalvageable. And frankly, I know it’s not because when I’ve read through it before, I’ve had the complete opposite reaction.

And then it hits me: I’m having trouble getting in the mood in a much bigger sense. Sure, I’m able to set up my writing space for a couple hours devoted to writing, but I’m having trouble setting up my head space. I’ve recently started working full time and although I like it, it’s hard work and I come home tired and groggy and sometimes just downright grumpy. And even on weekends if I’m not grocery shopping, I’m getting car work done; if I’m not visiting family and friends, I’m running one of the 300 errands that I should have run last weekend (read: three weekends ago). And don’t even get me started on reading. I’m not gonna lie, I’m normally a slow reader, but hell, I’m like astronomically slow at this point.

So, that brings me to my present predicament: what should I do? I can’t quit my job. It’s a nice thought, but as a 20-something who JUST started working, I’m not quite at writing-as-a-full-time job just yet. I can’t ignore my relationships and groceries and errands either: I already tried and that resulted in having to replace my entire gas tank (if only I started taking that check engine light seriously!).

So, I guess it comes down to state of mind. I think I have to be a bit more focused and start making more time to write (and read). On the flip side, I think I have to remove some of the pressure and let myself just enjoy the process again. Writing shouldn’t be a chore but I have to admit that it’s starting to feel like one. Ultimately, I also think that I just have to go with the flow for a bit. I know this is a period of change for me, what with the new job and moving out and having my first novel published next year. Maybe I just need to step back and focus on letting the mood set me.

If that makes any sense…

Any thoughts? What do you do to get in the mood? 😉