Monday, February 22, 2010

In Which I'm In A Funk

I've been in a bit of a funk lately. I think it's directly related to finishing the WIP.

At first it's fun to have it done and getting some free time again. But then, the free time just sits there and I know I should fill it with things (like cleaning, finishing up a final revision on a short story, or better yet, starting a new WIP) but every time I think about doing one of those things, or something else, I just think, meh I don't want to do that.

Hence, a funk.

I don't really know the cure for a funk. I suspect its mostly just time. And actually yesterday I did a bunch of cleaning all before 9:30AM so I think that may have erased much of the funk.



On the plus side, I've only got to really sit through another week before I can break open Foxfire and get to work on revisions!

On the negative side, I actually have to read the manuscript before I can start editing. Boo.
Not because I don't want to read it, just because that will take up some more time before I can start on the edits.

Sigh.

Unless you think I could start reading the manuscript a few days before...so then I can start the edits exactly 4 weeks after I finished it...

Hmm.

Of course all of this is just based on a timeline I made up, so I suppose I can also make up my own rules.
Excellent.

So how does everyone else get themselves out of a funk?

18 comments:

Anne Ahiers said...

I work on commissions...

>:/

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Tossing out stuff always makes me feel better. I am not a packrat and hate unclean clutter.

If bending your own timeline gets you out of the funk, then go for it!

Sarah Ahiers said...

Anne - i added another 400 words to it yesterday. I'm still feeling it out a bit, plot wise. Also i need to get out some of my old notes...

Alex - ooh yeah, getting rid of stuff is always liberating. I took out a lot of trash, but we donated much of our old clothing last month so are kind of empty on tossable stuff. At least until spring

Southpaw said...

Cleaning is a great defunker. I also like to spend a day doing things that take me away from my usual places.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Southpaw - yeah cleaning is awesome, because it gets rid of the funk and you end up with a clean house!

Austin Gorton said...

I buy stuff.

Which is probably why I have so much debt...but a lot of cool stuff!

Otherwise, I just have to ride my funk out. Time goes so fast these days, before I know it, I'll be too busy or excited to be in a funk anymore.

Also, you did a ton of cleaning before 9:30? You know what I'm doing before 9:30 if I don't have to work? Sleeping.

Unknown said...

Ugh... Funks. XP Yuck.

I'm actually in one now too, and usually what helps is blogging. I don't know why, but whenever I write out what is bothering me I can usually get past my funk.

Most of the time.

Unknown said...

Oh! And I love that broom!

Stark Raving Zen said...

Funks are normal after a finished WIP, right? I believe they are expected and all part of the beautiful process. They're for going within and recharging. I think they're necessary. What hurts is to label them as "bad" and try to force ourselves out of them. That being said, I generally read something on the subject of funk-beating. Something re: creativity studies or positive psychology. They're maps for escaping Funkdom. Usually what puts me in a funk is that every time I look at your damn blog you have -like- 25 more followers... And there I tread at 55, even though I've been blogging for MUCH longer than you... LOL

Hannah said...

I read a lot. Reading always helps put me in a better mood...that and movies. I loves me some movies. I have tons of movie marathons. Or I go to the range and shoot pictures of zombies, that's my new favorite!!

Sarah Ahiers said...

Teebore - yeah i want to buy stuff but am being responsible and trying to get some moneys in me savings.
And yeah, i rarely sleep in past 7:30 because of the dogs and an occasional sore back. But i don't typically stay up past 10:30 so it all works out

Aching - the broom is indeed awesome. And at least the funk doesn't seem to translate to blogging too much. But a Funk can affect my reading of other blogs which is weird

Zen - they are indeed "common" or so i've heard. LOLOL and sorry about the followers, i don't really know how it happened especially since you have much much better photography skills and dogs that are just as cute

Palindrome - "Or i go to the range and shoot pictures of zombies" - so wait, you and the main have pictures of zombs that you shoot with a real gun? I straight up love you and think you're one of the best people i've ever met and you just got EVEN COOLER in my eyes. And right now i'm reading a NF book about editing and it's kind of Meh so it's most likely contributing to the funk

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Movies, coffees, chocolates, and fun. Blogging, blogging, and more blogging!

Hang in there, Falen. It will pass. :-)

Unknown said...

Um, this is kind of off topic, but something drastic happened today involving the gift card you sent me, so I didn't know if you would like to wander over to my blog to find out the true dreadful story. It involves chocolate. And bunnies! And maybe it will help release you from your funk, though I doubt that very much. (Would that be de-funking someone?)

Anyway, this is the link if you're curious:

http://slumpvismusings.blogspot.com/2010/02/drastic.html

Sarah Ahiers said...

Shannon - yes this is all true. except for the coffees of which i don't drink.

Aching - w.t.f. You have a blog??! Why didn't i KNOW this??!! I'm over there RIGHT NOW

Joan Crawford said...

I clean. Lame but true! I find that if I make everything nice and shiny that I feel a lot better. I can't be *truly* content with the world unless my floors are clean and the dishes are done. This is probably because I have some weird underlying issues. I then go for a drive to get coffee and go to a movie. Then you come home to a nice clean house. Then I'll push my big, oafish husband around so I can feel powerful. I am a simple, simple creature.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Joan - yeah cleaning often does the trick. Unless things are so dirty that you don't even know where to start. That happens at our house occasionally. I would suggest you avoid it by making yoru oafish husband take out the trash or some other husbandly duty...(*vague hand waving motions*)

Stark Raving Zen said...

Oh I'm jus' being silly. I love your huge following. Our blogs are very different and yours is much more fun. :)

Barbara Ann Wright said...

I like to get out of the house for a little bit. Go for a walk, see a movie, window-shop, that sort of thing. People watching is also great fun. Maybe that'll help a bit for this time or the next.

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