This week, the Muses have firmly established that, as writers, we’re going to be crazy. And we need to embrace it. After all, my friends, we are artists. *sticks nose in the air*

While this affords us the luxury of no pants/showers/etc., taken too far, it can make us intolerable (to ourselves, our loved ones, cowokers, grocery clerks). Therefore, we need to make sure to rein ourselves into the realm of “Quirky” rather than full-blown nutter-butter.

How does one do that?

For me, a lot of it comes from understanding “My Process.” The deeper my understanding of how I react with the junk going on in my head, the better equipped I am at making sure I stay reasonably human. Here are some of my quirks and how I rein them in:

• There will be weeks when a new story is forming or I’m mulling over a tough revision when sleep is impossible. Tiredness is something I have to accept, and if I really need to be well-rested, there’s always Tylenol PM or margaritas.
• Any time I’m transitioning into a new story or revision, I hit a slump. Something about changing gears freaks me out and sends me into a brief tailspin. However, the moment a game plan starts to form, I’m a-ok.
• I can go four or five days straight where I’m busy from 4:45am until 11pm. But after that I need to rest, no matter how guilty I feel about not writing or missing a family BBQ.
• If I don’t hit my daily writing goal…beware. The only thing I can do is try to forgive myself and start over the next day. 
• My patience gets wonton wrapper thin when awaiting feedback…even though I pretend to be nonchalant. I make sure my family/friends/fellow Muses know that I’m on eggshells during these periods and they remind me when mole hills seem bigger than they are.
• I take rejections very, very hard. No matter how much I prepare for them and set myself up for the disappointment, they always sting bad. However, I also bounce back eerily fast – but only after I’ve figured out what to learn from the rejection or negative feedback. Again, once a plan is forming…I’m a happy camper again.

What sort of crazy do you notice about yourself? And how do you rein it in?

The title of this blog is something of an oxymoron. It implies that we writers are sane to begin with, and we all know that's not true. We're not as crazy as artists or, say those carnival people who stick a flaming torch into their mouths and then spew a fiery burst into the air. They are crazy. But we aren't that far off.

We writers are not sane. We most certainly are not.

Here is why:

1. We want our writing to be loved by everyone. As Talia said, this is a business in which public acceptance is wanted. Needed, even. But unconditional love from the public is also impossible. And though I don't really want my writing to be loved by everyone... I kind of want it to be loved by everyone. See how the crazy is kicking in?
2. Also, we want people to adore our work but they have to adore it the right way. Like... don't like the wrong things, ok? "What do you mean, you loved the secondary character? He was an afterthought! I worked for a week straight to get the setting and the pace just right! Are we even talking about the same scene?"
3. We're comfortable spending days in our pajamas, and showers, while wonderful for brainstorming, are somewhat scarce. A good friend of mine says writing is, "pants-optional." I haven't tried the no pants thing yet, but give me a little time.
4. We strive for perfection. In our phrases. Our characters. Our plots. And let me tell it to you straight: that is just stupid. No one is perfect. Nothing is perfect. Nothing. Except maybe mint chip ice cream.
5. We talk to ourselves. (Go ahead and admit it.) 
6. We argue with imaginary people. (Characters, not you.)(I don't mean to imply that we are arguing or that you are imaginary, but I don't actually know who you are, unfortunately.)(Leave a comment below! Then I will know.)
7. We crush on imaginary people created by other authors. (He-llooo, Finnick.)
8. We are dependent on things. (coffee, diet coke, coffee, wine, chocolate, tea, goodreads, coffee, twitter.... BOOKS.)
9. We make lists of all the ways we are a little nuts. 
10. And share them publicly.
11. We speak our own crazy language. When we say, "I'm going to spend the night working on my WIP," we don't mean it in a 50 Shades of Greyish way. We talk about Inciting Incidents and Points of No Return. We kill darlings and meet up in places like BEA and SCBWI. You know you're definitely in the crazy-writer club if you totally understand this: "Let's hit RWA first, and then rendezvous at ALA so we can grab ARCs of the Winter 12 list." I've said it before.... we are like the military, only a lot less cool.

I'm going to stop there but I think I've made my case. Our starting point for sanity is a little different than it is for most people. We creative types are special. To use another oxymoron, we are normally crazy. 

So I'm here to tell you to just own it.

Go batshit crazy and don't shower for a few days, gorge yourself on chocolate, chase it down with some black coffee, tear your pants off and get to work on your WIP. If you don't, your MC will never have an Inciting Incident, leading to a Point of No Return, nor will they ever appear in an ARC at BEA or ALA or ABA.

Crazy is part of the magic. Crazy, while challenging, is not your enemy. Yes, it can get overwhelming and even more crazy when you add in things like deadlines and marketing plans. Submissions and query letters and critiques that just don't go your way. That's okay. You'll come back to Normal Crazy in time. 

Push through the tough patches however you can, embrace your specialness, and do the work.

Pants on or off.

So this week we are blogging about staying sane while balancing deadlines and writer's block and crippling fear.   All I can think about is how so much of this business is out of our control that sometimes it's really easy to lose perspective and freak out.

Sometimes the freak outs are over good things.  Like the time I was on submission and couldn't do anything for the three weeks after our first offer but hit refresh on my email.  Or the first time I saw my book on the shelf at Barnes and Noble and did a little happy dance in the aisle.

Sometimes the freak outs are over not so good things.  Like the time I learned that my manuscript needed to be completely rethought and rewritten.  Or the time I read through my manuscript and decided I hated every word.

In a business that is based on acceptance or rejection, where people are supposed to openly criticize your work, and where the process is long and arduous, you can't help but feel crazy at times.  The key to staying sane over the long term is learning to put all that craziness aside and focus on the part you can control: the writing.

So here are some things that I do to stay sane while writing:

1.  Embrace the Crazy:  Some days are going to be so full of excitement or disappointment, that sometimes you just have to accept that you need to write off the day and go with it.  Sometimes we just need to wallow and get it over with it.  Mourn that bad review.  Grieve for that so-close rejection.  Other days we need to take time out to celebrate.  That first request for a full or personalized rejection?  Revel in it!  Those little successes are the building blocks for the ones to come.

2.  Commune with other Crazies:  No one understands what you're going through like another writer.  You can find them on blogs, on Twitter or at writing conferences.  Get out there and connect with other people who know exactly how you feel.  Having a support system makes the great parts of the journey even more special.  Having someone you can call when your confidence is shot is invaluable.

3.  Keep Writing:  Some days writing is hard.  Other days, the words flow faster than you can type them.  No matter what kind of day you're having, open the manuscript and start typing.  Even if you feel like every word is crap, keep going.  That's what revision is for.  And honestly, when you go back to revise that scene, chances are you won't remember if the words came easy or hard.

4.  Remember Why you Do This:  Keep perspective.  You write because you love creating characters and stories.  Don't ever lose sight of that.

5. Get an Unbiased Opinion from Someone You Trust:  Before you hit delete or put that manuscript in the drawer, get a second opinion.  Maybe that scene is salvageable, or your manuscript just needs a bit of revision.  Maybe you're too close to the story to see what's working well.

6.  Commit for the Long Haul:  There is no such thing as an overnight success.  Even the writers whose first books have gone on to be mega-sellers started out alone with a computer and a blank computer screen.  Writing a novel takes work and commitment. There will be setbacks along the way.  Most writers build their audience over time.  The only way to succeed in this business is to keep trying.

7.  Keep a Realistic Perspective:  Recognize that rejection is part of the business.  There will always be someone who gets an agent sooner, gets a higher advance, and sells more books.  That's okay.  It doesn't mean you will never sell a book.  It doesn't mean you will never get there.  Everyone's journey is unique.  Embrace yours.

Embrace the crazy.  Own it.  And when all else fails: write about it.

Photo by Marek Bernat from Stock.xchng

When we came up with this week’s theme, I knew I needed to read these posts more than write one.  Staying sane while juggling family, life, and a deep, creative connection with the writing is our great balancing act.  Add the pressure of deadlines and reviews, social networking and in-person events, and you have a recipe for major crazy.

I recently had an attack of the crazies while working on line edits for Book 2. (Line edits are those final tweaks and word changes before copyedits. Finessing. Fine-tuning.) I got it into my head that what the book really needed was for me to trash the last hundred pages and completely rewrite them. When I e-mailed my editor, Kendra Levin, with my concerns, she immediately came back with this advice: Close the document and step away from the computer.  Take a walk.  Give yourself some fresh air, a chance to move around and clear your head.  DON’T LOOK AT THE MANUSCRIPT AGAIN TODAY.  I did what she said.  And the next day, after a brainstorming session on the phone, I was able to shake off the crazy and get back to the revision.  To the finessing.  The pages remained in the manuscript – right where they should be – and they are better for the time I took away from them.

Sometimes, all you need to feel better about your work or to dislodge that ever-so-important spark of imagination is to take a walk.  Go for a run.  Play with your kids.  Fly a kite.  Getting outside and getting moving is essential for us, because we spend so much time inside – at our desks, in our heads.  Fresh air “blows the stink off” as my grandmother used to say.  It’s worthwhile remembering that – and being reminded of it.

We all need to be reminded of the essential ways to stay sane.  Which is why we decided to write on this theme despite the fact that we don’t always feel we’re the most qualified people to tackle the subject. Kendra Levin is not only brilliant with a red pen (well, green margin comments in Word).  She’s an award-winning playwright and a life coach for writers.  She gets it.  She’s been in the trenches.  She knows. So I turned again to Kendra to ask her advice this week – for you, for me, for all of us.

Here’s what she had to say:

--If you are daunted by something--the prospect of writing or revising a whole manuscript, the challenge of incorporating writing more regularly into your daily routine, the project of how to break into social networking to promote your book-- break it up into manageable chunks.  Don't think of it as one big thing-- think of it as a series of small tasks.  It will be way less intimidating!

I try to do this in my real life as well as my writing life.  Cleaning one room.  Checking one thing off my to-do list.  Focusing on the motivations of one character.  Setting a goal for 1000 words a day.  Take the journey one step at a time.

Photo by Benjamin Pop from Stock.xchng

--Know your limits and be kind to yourself.  There's a big difference between being motivated and being a slave-driver to yourself.  Take care not to let the line get too blurry.  It's good to take on challenges and to find ways to get your butt into the chair on a regular basis, but if you push yourself beyond your saturation point, you'll burn out and it won't be good for you or for your work.

This is one of the most difficult lines to balance for me.  If I write 1000 words one day, I push for more the next.  And if I don’t keep equaling – or bettering – the previous day’s goals, I feel like I’ve failed somehow.  Goals are good, but quality is better.  Ultimately, I’d rather write 200 words that will stay in my novel than 2000 that won’t.  I’m still learning the balance – if you know what it is, please tell me!

--When in doubt, listen to your gut.  If you are getting lots of different and conflicting advice/feedback; if you are not sure what direction to take your piece in; if you are facing difficult decisions about the next step in your career, trust your intuition to tell you what's best for you and for your work.  It won't steer you wrong.

Trust yourself.  Trust your imagination.  Trust your characters.  Journal about it.  Free-writing will almost always unearth what’s most important to you, though it may take three or five or ten pages to get there.  Taking a walk and letting your mind process while your body moves helps, too.

--Don't forget to draw on your support system.  It's so easy and natural for writers to feel totally alone, but remember, lots of other writers have gone through exactly what you're going through, or have struggled in their own ways.  Always remember to connect with the writers you love and trust when you're feeling down; re-read your favorite book about writing; or just confide in someone who cares about you.  

I am grateful every day for the Muses.  For my writing friends who live just down the road and can grab a coffee with me.  For my husband and children.  For my sister – who is also a writer – my parents, my friends.  Sure, my non-writer friends can’t completely understand what I’m going through – they’ve never had a character go wildly off-outline or read a one-star review of their work or sat and stared at a blank screen for an entire day (or week). But they understand it’s important to me.  And they are always happy to provide a shoulder to cry on and a good supply of top-quality chocolate.  Sometimes, that’s all I need.

This is Kendra! (From her website)

I’m grateful for my editor, too.  For the strange and amazing sequence of events that put me and my work in her capable and compassionate care.  Kendra’s enthusiasm for creativity and imagination is an inspiration.  Through her coaching business, she holds workshops and classes and coaches writers and other creative people one-on-one.  One more way to combat the crazy.

What do you do to stay sane?  The first thing I’m going to do is to bookmark this week’s blog posts….

Me:  "The blog this week is supposed to be about keeping your sanity."
Him:  "Ha ha ha ha ha."
Me:  "What's so funny?"
Him:  "You.  Sane."
Me:  "I think I'm handling it all pretty well."
Him:  *spits coffee out through nose coughing*
Me:  "There's a lot of pressure writing on deadline."
Him:  "Are you going to tell them  how you picked off every scrap of nail polish the day after you paid $40 for a manicure?"
Me:  "No."
Him:  "How about how the dogs are all sleep deprived because you get up at all hours of the night to write?"
Me:  "They eventually went back to bed without me."
Him:  "The half empty Diet Coke cans all around the house?  The chocolate?"
Me:  "Chocolate is very important."
Him:  "You ate a LOT of chocolate."
Me: *not going to deny this*
Him:  "What about how you cried over the dead prairie dog?"
Me:  "It was sad.  He was a brave scout just trying to find the new country for his family in that field across the road.  And then he got ran over."  *blinks away tears*
Him:  "You went ten minutes out of your way to work because you thought the prairie dogs would start digging under the road now and cause a giant sink hole."
Me:  "That really happened.  I saw it on the internet.  The woman crashed her car into the sink hole when the road collapsed."
Him:  "Then there was that night two days before your deadline when you had that total meltdown.  You said it was too hard and you couldn't do it."
Me:  "Sometimes it is really hard.  The hardest thing I've ever done."
Him:  "But you did it."
Me:  *smiles*
Him:  "Even if you were batsh*t crazy."
Me:  "By the way, I have the revision notes back from my editor and I have a new deadline."
Him:  "Oh no."
Me:  "I'm just going to get a manicure... and then I'll start."
Him:  *rolls eyes*  "I'll go to the store for some chocolate."