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Sunday, April 18, 2010
The Shanks
In the movie Tin Cup, Kevin Costner’s character (Roy) suffers from The Shanks. The Shanks is a “technical” term for every time he swings his golf club, it slices his shot and the ball doesn’t go where he wants. It bounces off buildings; it shoots off in completely the wrong direction; or it hits people—or at least it did during the movie. It’s extremely embarrassing to hit a shank shot; and most golfers won’t even say the word out loud. It’s got the same superstitions surrounding it as a certain Scottish play and theater actors.
I can’t really blame the guy; and sometimes I feel like I completely understand, even though the closest I’ve come to golfing is on a putt-putt course. Lately every time I sit down at my laptop, open my current chapter, and read the last couple paragraphs, I am seized by a case of the shanks.
I try not to think that I’ve got the shanks because nothing brings on the shanks faster than thinking you’ve got them. Self-fulfilling prophecy and all that. However, concentrating on not thinking about having the shanks doesn’t seem to work either. My fingers hover over the keyboard; I type a few sentences—short, painful sentences; I thrash around on my couch wondering when I can call it a night and go to bed. Usually if I fill my page quota, I go to bed. (As you imagine: it’s a low page quota.)
Sin and I have recently adopted a new writing goal: we will meet at the library on Saturdays and write for at least 2 hours. Our first meeting was last Saturday; and relatively it worked. A little. But I won’t give up entirely; it was the first meeting and we haven’t got a rhythm yet.
In Tin Cup, Roy starts seeing a therapist, in hopes this will help cure him of the shanks. And the other multitude of problems he has (of which there are many.) This is not without merit. In the thirty minutes before Sin arrived to the meeting and I was typing by myself, I typed approximately 20 words. I re-read two chapters. I worried about things that had nothing to do with writing. I frowned at my writing, wondering why I was bothering because it was all so stupid and no one would ever publish it in a million years. I need a therapist, or an exorcist—I wasn’t picky. Some rum might have helped, but you’re not really allowed hard liquor in the library.
Sin arrived; and her mood matched mine. She’d had a tussle with her demons—including one she lives with—and had come away with some wounds. It’s bad enough when your own self doubts tell you bad things, but if your family does it, that’s worse.
I talked about my problems and she talked about hers. Of course, we couldn’t do anything about them, but airing them seemed to take the life out of them. They were less damaging. Almost turned into something as imaginary as monsters under the bed. It’s good to remember that no matter what happens, you have friends at your back.
So we both went back to typing, and I wrote a measly 650 words before I had to leave. But I still felt better about it; and I thought maybe talking about your feelings does help you put words on the page. And that’s all we want in the end right? To put words on the page?
Our third writing member showed up; and when I ran this theory by her, she was not convinced. She exorcises her demons by writing them down. Then again, she writes a lot darker stuff than I do. I write fluffy kitten stuff: fluffy sarcastic kittens. So if I’m feeling dark, troubled, and angsty, I need to get rid of it so I can write my fluffy kitten stuff again. (Either that or I need to write a different book, which I don’t think is really an option.)
Next week, I think it will be better. Hopefully it won’t take as long to clear the air and get rid of the shanks so we can sit for two hours of solid writing. And eventually this book will be done. Done, done, done. (Though next time, I think I might go for a dark, angsty book: I think I have the personality for it.)
Your turn: do you suffer from the shanks in your writing? If so, how do you get rid of them? Do you belong to a writing group? Do you and your writing group have any special meetings just for writing or tips for getting your manuscript finished?
I can’t really blame the guy; and sometimes I feel like I completely understand, even though the closest I’ve come to golfing is on a putt-putt course. Lately every time I sit down at my laptop, open my current chapter, and read the last couple paragraphs, I am seized by a case of the shanks.
I try not to think that I’ve got the shanks because nothing brings on the shanks faster than thinking you’ve got them. Self-fulfilling prophecy and all that. However, concentrating on not thinking about having the shanks doesn’t seem to work either. My fingers hover over the keyboard; I type a few sentences—short, painful sentences; I thrash around on my couch wondering when I can call it a night and go to bed. Usually if I fill my page quota, I go to bed. (As you imagine: it’s a low page quota.)
Sin and I have recently adopted a new writing goal: we will meet at the library on Saturdays and write for at least 2 hours. Our first meeting was last Saturday; and relatively it worked. A little. But I won’t give up entirely; it was the first meeting and we haven’t got a rhythm yet.
In Tin Cup, Roy starts seeing a therapist, in hopes this will help cure him of the shanks. And the other multitude of problems he has (of which there are many.) This is not without merit. In the thirty minutes before Sin arrived to the meeting and I was typing by myself, I typed approximately 20 words. I re-read two chapters. I worried about things that had nothing to do with writing. I frowned at my writing, wondering why I was bothering because it was all so stupid and no one would ever publish it in a million years. I need a therapist, or an exorcist—I wasn’t picky. Some rum might have helped, but you’re not really allowed hard liquor in the library.
Sin arrived; and her mood matched mine. She’d had a tussle with her demons—including one she lives with—and had come away with some wounds. It’s bad enough when your own self doubts tell you bad things, but if your family does it, that’s worse.
I talked about my problems and she talked about hers. Of course, we couldn’t do anything about them, but airing them seemed to take the life out of them. They were less damaging. Almost turned into something as imaginary as monsters under the bed. It’s good to remember that no matter what happens, you have friends at your back.
So we both went back to typing, and I wrote a measly 650 words before I had to leave. But I still felt better about it; and I thought maybe talking about your feelings does help you put words on the page. And that’s all we want in the end right? To put words on the page?
Our third writing member showed up; and when I ran this theory by her, she was not convinced. She exorcises her demons by writing them down. Then again, she writes a lot darker stuff than I do. I write fluffy kitten stuff: fluffy sarcastic kittens. So if I’m feeling dark, troubled, and angsty, I need to get rid of it so I can write my fluffy kitten stuff again. (Either that or I need to write a different book, which I don’t think is really an option.)
Next week, I think it will be better. Hopefully it won’t take as long to clear the air and get rid of the shanks so we can sit for two hours of solid writing. And eventually this book will be done. Done, done, done. (Though next time, I think I might go for a dark, angsty book: I think I have the personality for it.)
Your turn: do you suffer from the shanks in your writing? If so, how do you get rid of them? Do you belong to a writing group? Do you and your writing group have any special meetings just for writing or tips for getting your manuscript finished?
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58 comments:
Well, firstly, I do think venting can rid you of the distractions that keep trying to creep in and spoil the writing. It's like if you're sitting by an open window and a skunk just warned off something nearby.
By all means, close the window!
Same goes with venting away the crap.
My local RWA Chapter has started free write sessions about every other meeting and I've found it really helpful. I've re-written scenes, discovered things I needed to include...really helpful!
I'm thinking I may have a new person to meet up with soon...after RT. We'll see!
I think venting helps too. It's like shining a light on the boogieman.
As for how I deal with the shanks, I think I just keep waiting. I've starting thinking of all these stops and starts as just part of my writing process. So any time I stop, I try not to panic or doubt myself and Ii just wait. I write, I delete, I write, I delete, until I feel confident to keep moving forward again. Sometimes it goes faster than other times.
Ok, back to bed. Whole family down with a stomach flu. Horrible night.
2nd, that's really cool your local RWA chapter has free write sessions! (That would almost be worth joining a chapter again. *LOL*)
Great news about the new person! I'll keep my fingers crossed that the RT meeting goes well. When are you going to RT again?
Marn, I have to say I feel honored you made time to visit my blog when the whole family is down with the stomach flu. Drink lots of fluids and rest.
Not panicking is probably the best thing to do. *LOL* That's the first step with dealing with any crisis, right? DO NOT PANIC. If you panic, you won't think clearly, and you'll do crazy crap like delete your entire manuscript and/or start an entirely new story, thinking that will improve things.
I was cruising along and then hit a touch of the shanks this weekend. Part of the reason is because I know this current scene is pretty important to the story, so I put more pressure on myself. The "get it right the first time!" crazy bitch crawled back into my head. So much for thinking I'd suffocated her.
My other problem is that I've reached the point in my storyboard where there are several post-its missing. The plot is a bit willy nilly from here. Which means I just need to sit down and start thinking about all the possibilities and where I need to head next.
Luckily, a scene I'd never considered came to me last night, so at least I have something to tackle this evening. I'm about a dozen pages behind my goal so here's hoping I get the momentum going again.
Sorry to hear about the stomach bug, Marn. That is never any fun. Hope everyone feels better soon.
Thanks guys. I actually let my hubby sleep the first morning shift while I kept an eye on the boy (while he watched TV because I seriously can't move off the couch.)
I'm off to catch an hour or so too, before we switch again.
And of course I'd try to stop by. :) Great blog, Hells.
Part of the reason is because I know this current scene is pretty important to the story, so I put more pressure on myself. The “get it right the first time!” crazy bitch crawled back into my head.
I think that was my problem with this scene. In my head, I was putting a lot of emphasis that this was a make or break scene for A&E, for them getting together or working it out. Except I can't make it look like they're going to work it out so soon, but I can't make them so completely reprehensible that no one will care if they get back together. It calls for subtly and balance, of which I have neither.
Glad scenes are still coming to you, even though you're missing "plot points" (though I could have sworn you were post-it mad and had post-its everywhere on the board? Those weren't plot points?)
Oh, the board is covered in post-its. Sick with them. But the details to them, the linking scenes, they are still AWOL. Stubborn little buggers.
Yep, this is the scene that flips the switch, so to speak. They go from enemies to allies and I need to *show* things switch in their heads and in their relationship. Sure would be great if I knew how to do that. LOL!
And this is essentially the mid-point of the story and I'm 2/3 of the way through the post-its. Not. Good. But I'll figure it out. Eventually. LOL! As you say, stopping isn't really an option at this point.
Oh, and I'm finding that reaching for the secondary story threads helps when I'm stuck. The scene I thought of last night involves the side thread with my heroine and her sister.
I get so stuck thinking every scene has to be the H/H, I'm missing a lot that will fill in and round out the story. So maybe a trick to keep going is to stretch a little, reach for and explore the side threads.
I've already reached for my secondary thread already. I pretty much am stuck with this scene. I suppose it doesn't have to be perfect though and remember that it will be fixed later, even if it's positively godawful, as I suspect.
I'm trying to get my peeps from enemies to allies. Sorta having talks they should have had before the divorce, but that the divorce pretty much made possible (if that makes sense.)
Yep, that makes sense. And I'm clinging to the "can be fixed later" concept. In fact, a little voice in my head has now started saying, "Lucy will show you how to fix it."
I may be putting a little too much faith in this revision class, but it gets me through the nights.
I got to about 1200 written before I had to leave for the day (about 45 minutes after you cut out). I look forward to Saturday again. I think it was the most relaxing writing time I've had in months.
I've just decided that I have to ignore the outside world. If he doesn't understand it, that's fine. I don't need him to understand my *want* to write and attempt to get published. It is a goal. It is what I'm passionate about. I don't need understanding to accomplish it. I need him to leave me the fck alone about it. I will prove him wrong. I will prove everyone wrong who says I can't do it. No one knows what I'm capable of doing when I put my mind to it but me and I will do it just to prove a point.
Anyway, I didn't mean to head off into a tangent.
Still have no wrote my round robin chappy. *shrug* It's on the list. I have the shanks about that. Or as the girl in one of my favorite series' says, "I have the hump over the RR chappy."
Every time I read that series I think of dear Q, who obviously as an English gent speaks crazy English words that I, as an American, do not understand or just make up definitions for while I'm reading.
I can finally say "good morning" -- I didn't have an internet connection this morning, so was on the phone with the cable people. They couldn't fix it. I thought I was going to have to cry and drink rum. Or vice versa.
Whew.
Anyway, GREAT great post. I've been feeling this way about revising a different manuscript. I know what needs to be done, I even have the scenes in my head -- but somehow they don't want to go in there!
I resorted to just typing a scene in a separate document, the one I think is *supposed* to go in this one spot. (Clearly Endora thinks otherwise, and has enlisted all my brain cells--yep, all two of them--as part of her mutiny.)
I guess what I did is free writing, which can be liberating, because we haven't imposed any expectations on it. And if it doesn't work, then I'm just going to use it as a "DVD extra" or something.
Okay, I have lots more to say, but this is getting too long! LOL
Oooh, Sin, that reminds me -- today is Patriots Day in Boston -- where we celebrate the day that the colonials spanked the British. LOL
They do reenactments, which I've never seen, because they start WAY too early in the a.m. I don't know why they had to start a revolution in the morning, for goodness sake! Those darn morning people! LOL
LMAO obviously they have Starbucks delivered REALLY early to their homes to make them hop out of bed in a flash, otherwise, the Revolution would've never happened.
*snickering*
I think we, as Americans, just wanted to kick some British ass early in the morning so we could get back to drinking by 10am.
Bo'sun, you can tell yourself anything so long as it gets you writing.
I know someone today is going to die off thinking *I* think this is accurate accounts of history.
Honest, I have a minor in history. Don't get your panties in a wad. Yet.
I'm with Donna on this why start so early bit. Wouldn't it have been better to wait until tea time? Take them totally by surprise. They'd be so gobsmacked (love that word) that we had the nerve to disturb them during tea, the battle would have been over in seconds.
Thanks, Hellie. And apparently, I have no qualms about lying to and manipulating myself. :) Never would have thunk it.
Great blog, Cap'n.
There are two things I do when I hit the wall. 1. I skip it, and write another scene~usually about half way through the one I started the 'fix' to why I'm stuck on the original pops into my head. Or 2. sometimes the scene I'm stuck on needs to be from a different POV.
I meet with my writing group every tuesday. We don't do writing, but boy does it motivate me to get something on the page. There are 2 of us on our first drafts, but I'm usually the only one with new pages, B is working on where to layer in 'red herrings' in her suspence. The other 2 ladies are on rewrites.
Di
Sin - Are you suggesting they didn't have Starbucks in colonial times? Cause I'm pretty sure I've seen one in Williamsburg. ;)
Great blog Hellie! Sorry I've been MIA for so long. Terrible viral infection of some sort. I'm back at work now, with a straggling, wheezy, hacking cough.
Marn - sorry you guys are all down! I hope you get enough sleep!
Hellie - I've got the shanks too. I love that phrase for it. It's perfect. "I've got the shanks". So succinct and to the point *g* Though when I did see the title, I thought we were going to be talking about prison shanks, which would actually be interesting. Especially if we can get one into Sin's hands this morning! That'd take care of his non-supportive attitude.
My way of dealing with the shanks (which is not the healthy or optimal way) is to write on a different project. My WIP is dark, angsty, emotion-filled, etc. I have another WIP that's light and fluffy and sarcastic. I keep Josephine's story (the dark one) as my primary, and try to concentrate on that one first and foremost. But there's some days I just need some silly laughter, and so write on the other one. I figure as long as I've written one or the other, it's progress, and that should be good enough *g*
Sin, I was telling Deerhunter about our writing meeting and he said, "I don't know why you get around them. All you do is get all catty; and you're the least catty person I know."
If I'd been drinking anything, I would have spewed drink all over my bed. WTF. Please I've been elected High Empress of the Catty People.
Your response reminds me of the movie "Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio", which is an excellent movie. (I hate Woody Harrelson and it was still excellent.) And at one point, the husband is making his 4 billionth apology to her and says, "I just want to make you happy." And she responds: "I don't need you to make me happy. I need you to leave me the hell alone when I am."
Donna, SO GLAD you've got your internet back. I know how depressing it is to be without it.
And I *LOVE* the concept of DVD extras. *LOL* That's HALF my novel right there! *LOL* "Oh, that doesn't really move the book forward, but it's funny! Damnit!"
Donna, April 19th is the battle of Lexington and Concord...there's a famous book called April Morning and everything: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Morning. I remember reading it as a kid. (Probably where I got fascinated with Revolutionary War history over other military history.)
So yes, their re-enactments are going to happen EARLY. *LOL* I mean, I think it'd lose something to have it in the afternoon, but then tell the audience: "This actually happened 6 hours earlier in the day, but you get the gist."
I think we, as Americans, just wanted to kick some British ass early in the morning so we could get back to drinking by 10am.
This IS quite possible.
OR we thought we'd have a better chance of beating the British (who were better trained in military than our farmers) who were still hung over the night before...
Di R, I think writing groups can hold you accountable...at least functioning groups are. *LOL* And so far our group is functioning. Sorta like dieting. Technically yes, you can do it yourself; and only you can make yourself lose weight/stick to a plan--but having someone who is looking over your shoulder usually gets you more focused. And I can always use more focus.
I also frequently find that if I'm having trouble with a scene, I'm in the wrong POV. (I need to try writing out of sequence though; I haven't done it lately and I think I'd enjoy it.)
LOL -- I feel like the colonials should have thought this through a little bit. Like, "How is this gonna impact Donna two hundred years from now?"
Which makes me wonder if there WAS such a thing as a "morning person" back then? I mean, if you have to get up at the crack of dawn's ass to milk cows and shoot at redcoats. . .yeah, probably not.
Which ALSO makes me wonder. . .if I can spend time wondering about THIS kind of stuff, why can't I wonder about my WIP? I am soooooooooo contrary. (And not in a profitable way. LOL)
P.S. Hal, glad you're returning to the land of the living; sorry to hear about the hacking, wheezing cough. That sounds wretched!
Hal, I would totally agree: and I sometimes contemplate having two WIPs going at the same time, just so long as they were very different from each other. If I did though, I'd have to make the other WIP more angsty. *LOL* Writing is writing is writing.
If I get desperate (and I frequently am) I count blog posts as pages too.
Sorry I wasn't talking about prison shanks. *LOL* That sounds apt too...that you're imprisoned in hell, shackled and depressed and there is no way to write yourself out of it. You need a certain amount of freedom in your head to make the words flow.
Poor Hal, and Marn -- there's just too much sickness going on!
When I try to work on one manuscript, it seems like ideas for a different manuscript pop up. So I finally just switch. Does this make sense? I guess maybe when you've got the shanks on one, you need to switch to a different one, so it'll give you the ideas/scenes you need for the first one.
*faints* My brain hurts.
Yes, please. I dare someone to arm me with a shank today. It is Monday after all. You can't be held accountable for things that happen on Monday.
LOL — I feel like the colonials should have thought this through a little bit. Like, “How is this gonna impact Donna two hundred years from now?”
ROTFLMAO
I don't know if there was such a thing as a morning person. Then again, didn't they go to bed around 9 pm? I mean, if you don't stay up late because you can't afford to burn lamp oil or candles, it puts a dent on your leisure time.
When I try to work on one manuscript, it seems like ideas for a different manuscript pop up. So I finally just switch.
The lure of the glimmer.
If WIPs were marriages, you'd be Larry King.
ROFLMAO -- Hellion, I want to spank you now! You could have said Elizabeth Taylor! (God, they're both wrinkly octagenarians.)
LOL
If WIPs were marriages, you’d be Larry King.
Quite possibly one of the best quotes to have ever been made on the RWR.
Larry King?! OMG was that funny. Hellion!
Hellion, I want to spank you now!
Guess we'll have to call you Mistress Donna from now on.
Well, either Liz or Larry would work. (I mean, they've both remarried people too. *LOL* I frequently keep picking up on WIPs that I set aside for some reason or another, get back involved, and then remember: Shit, this is why we divorced!)
Honest, I have a minor in history.
Which history SIN? The Official History, the Way the People -in-charge-at-the-moment Say It Went History, the way it really happened Real History, the High Empress of the Catty People History, Oprah History, Reenactment History, History Meets Mistress D History …
WIPs that I set aside for some reason or another, get back involved, and then remember: Shit, this is why we divorced!
Shoot. I forgot to meanshion WIP History.
mention
History Meets Mistress D History
LOL -- I think it should ALL be written from this viewpoint!
And Hell, sometimes I go back to a WIP and say, "Why did I ever breakup with you? You're PERFECT. Not like this other WIP I've been seeing." LOL
No, MY minor is in the High Empress of the Catty People History.
Oh, yes, I've fallen back in love with WIPs before. *sighs*
Okay, I'm getting rid of my car. I have found a car I really like (and no, Sin, it's neither a Camry nor a Corolla and I don't want to hear about it), and now people are outraged a) I didn't much trade in for it (DUH, no AC, of course there is little trade in, if it didn't cost more to fix it than it was worth I would have fixed it! I wasn't expecting anything, which according to my people, my lack of expectations is my fatal flaw) and b) now someone wants to buy the car from me for the trade in value...and I'm like, "Why would anyone want this car? It has no AC. It's one roadtrip from dying on the side of the road. I cannot in good conscienceness, sell you this car." Plus wouldn't I have to report on my taxes I sold the car and "made a profit"? Oh, hell no.
Maybe the yanks were taking advantage of the time change. Figured the brits were still...oh, that won't work...they'd be up earlier.
Nevermind. (This is what comes of living in California where we don't have history. Much.)
I'm posting my off to RT blog tomorrow, Hels.
Hal and Marn, both been sick!? So sorry, spring is such a lousy time to be under the weather.
Sin - You know you needed someone to say you can't do this. It pushes you.
Bs'sun, you sound like you need a new pack of post it notes. Meanwhile, have a Smoking Hot Post-it for breakfast...like how I layered all those colors in it? And the square glass? I know, hard to drink from, but so worth the effect...
It's lunch time here, so I'll just take that as my dessert. Thanks.
Ah, thought I'd killed the blog. Just lunch time on the east coast. Damn, my Starbucks is next door to a pizza place and the smell is enough to drive one off the diet...
But I see my doctor tomorrow and want to show some progress, so no pizza!
Damn.
I don't mind someone telling me I can't do it to get a rise out of me. I mind someone flat out telling me it will never happen. Not in a million years. Not if I became the pope. Not if I suddenly figured out how to make money trees. Not even if I was slightly interesting enough to write a book. There is a difference. Implying I can't do it is pushing me. Flat out telling me only pisses me off and seals the deal if I get published don't think I won't rat your ass out on my dedication page under, "Ye Asshole who said I couldn't do this."
I totally believe you could become the pope if you set your mind to it.
*snorts* I'm sorry, but I cannot wait to see that dedication page. *LOL* I mean all those NICE dedication pages with those long-suffering children and supportive husbands is all right, but THIS would be the truth. Honesty at its finest.
I'd have to turn Catholic and that would only serve to make the MIL happy.
That would be so Sinnish... ;)
Popess Sin.
Well, Popes take on new names. So Sin would probably adopt the name Pope Innocent IV or something... *LOL*
Sorry about that. There was already a Pope Innocent the Fourth. They got up to Pope Innocent the 13th, so she'd have to be the 14th...which really doesn't have the ring that the 13th has. Spooky and ironic all the way around.
She can rewrite the history books in Rome and call herself Pope Guilty I.
First order of business? All pedaphile priests are to be castrated.
Not even if I was slightly interesting enough to write a book.
They said THAT you were boring? Well not only do they not know you very well. They don’t Know you at all.
Then again SIN maybe the fault lies with you.
(Yes I said that, and No I don’t have a Death Wish!)
I am of the opinion that most truly Interesting People tend to hide how interesting they truly are. It’s a matter of survival and sanity. If truly Interesting People showed the world how really interesting they were they’d never get anything accomplished, as they’d be hounded by fan girls, the press and the FBI.
Let us go back to Hellion’s statement:
It calls for subtly and balance, of which I have neither.
Could it be SIN that you are purposefully ( perhaps subconsciously ) projecting an air of subtly and quiet balance to the world at large? In an effort to keep the World from intruding upon your privacy? While inside you are anything but quiet and? If I were a sneaky, cheeky Ninja-fly-on-the-wall I‘d be outwardly quiet too …
But then I … what do I know about the mindset of truly interesting people? Its not like I know any.
Julie, who is subtle, quiet and always boringly uninteresting.
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