Back to Writing (Fingers Crossed)

Writers should never take breaks. That old axim - write every day. Listen to it!

Two months ago (or was it more???) I intentially took two weeks off my writing to focus on some other projects. I haven't been back to it since. That is, until now (or, well, tomorrow).

Today I arrived in beautiful Denver, Colorado to meet my friend Tricia for a mountain writing retreat. Tomorrow we head up to Green Mountain Falls, Colorado (doesn't that sound pictureque) and for the next 3 days, we write.

So far it's been a fun trip. Poor Tricia's flight doesn't get in until late. But tonight my dear friend Stephanie and I met for dinner (thanks for picking me up at the hotel!) and we had such a wonderful time that it makes me sad we don't live closer. That's the problem with on-line friends who become Surrey friends who just become friends. They invariable live too far away!

So, back to the writing part of this adventure. When last we saw our bold writing hero, I was working on my outline. I have to admit that I never quite finished, although I feel I have a solid structure that will take me through.

You know, it's interesting to observe that my last post on this blog related to The Hero's Journey was "Crossing the First Threshold". I wonder how much of my diversion from writing was due to that same hesitancy that many hero's face as they enter that Special World. One last (we hope) Refusal of the Call!

So, how do you pick back up after being away from writing for so long. That's the trick, isn't it? Characters and storylines fade from your mind - replaced with more urgent issues. When I'm working consistently, daily, on my story, my muse is always there in the background, thrashing things around and popping up throughout the day - at odd moments (like traffic lights, and while I'm folding laundry) to say "hey! What about this...?"

When you put the book away for a few days, the muse gets tired of being ignored, or at best humored, and eventually packs a bag and heads off to the beach (or wherever muses go when they get indignant over being ignored). Bringing them back from their vacation with tanned hunky men of their own creation can be tricky.

Today on the plane I went through my notes, trying to re-establish the framework of my story in my head. Tomorrow on the drive to Green Mountain Falls, I hope to brainstorm with Tricia (over both stories - hers and mine), so that by the time we arrive at our cottage, I've got a scene in mind and I'm ready to go. I'm almost looking forward to someone on-hand to brainstorm with as much as I am to having the focused time to write.

What about you? Do you have trouble getting back into your writing after taking a break? What do you do to entice your muse to come back and play?