Artists Passion

When I was younger, my mother went to Mackinac Island to sell her paintings. Her and my father would drive the pieces of art she worked so hard to produce to an art gallery there, where her paintings would sell. Or not.

Orianna Kurrus is currently going through a crisis. She feels her cutesy wootsy paintings aren’t her thing any more. She wants to branch out to more meaningful pieces to reflect her Jewish faith, but she still finds herself going for the “cute” factor when she paints.

And, I’m stuck on my word count for NaNoWriMo once again. I always hit a wall; I find anything else to do beside write down the ideas in my head. I come to the same problem every year; this is my third year of falling behind and beating myself up over it.

Mass producing squiddies is so much easier.

The problem with art, as I see it, is at some point a decision has to be made. Is art going to be a job or a hobby? I’m trying to make the transition to “job.” I think I’m making great strides when it comes to my nonfiction work, but I’d really like to get a few novels out there before I die. Stories others will read and reread and enjoy, because they’re entertaining and informative in a different way than “this is what happened today.”

Thus, writing turns from a fun thing I do to enjoy myself into a chore. When I’m writing, it’s different. I get in the groove and remember why I write. When I’m not writing, I’m dreading writing. I’m making up excuses not to write. Excuses like “I’ll write in a few minutes. Right now, I really have to check my Myspace.” Or, “Right after I finish this chapter, I’ll write a few pages.” Or, even better yet, “I need a nap.” I’d rather do anything than write when I have to, even if it involves lying in bed with my eyes closed and a cat clawing at me so he can get comfortable.

Since I’m getting so far behind, I was hoping I could get a few suggestions on what to do to make myself work. I’ve tried setting timers, I’ve tried setting word counts every day, I’ve even tried going on the “I can drink a Diet Coke every time I sit down to write” diet, and all it did was make me sick. What can I do to get myself producing that artistic content and rid myself of excuses?