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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Thinkin' Thursday - WIPs Need Food Too

Yesterday it occurred to me that I have eaten the same thing everyday for lunch over the past week & a half. At first, I thought it's simply because it's easy & I like it. But then, I started thinking back on other writing projects. During my previous novel, I ate a bowl of grits smothered in butter & pepper every single day until I finished the book. Currently, I am consuming lunch meat, muenster cheese & either buttery crackers or melba toast. I've really been digging the toast lately.

I lay out the cheese slices, slide a layer of meat over that & then count out the number of crackers on the opposite side of the plate. What can I say, I'm fairly methodical. I thrive on order, number & other OCD habits. I count things; steps, bites, stairs. It's a habit from my childhood & it still continues to this day.

However, back to the food thing. I'm a quarter of the way through this project & I noticed that my food is a direct reflection of where I am in the process. How much time I have to eat correlates to where I am in the story. It makes me wonder what my WIP will be wanting as we approach the midway together.

So, does your current WIP have any favorite snacks? What about previous projects?

Happy Writing,

Patti

4 comments:

  1. I can't say that I have ever linked food to my writing. And I am too tired to count except for the number of interruptions my husband inflicts on me when he is home. Like ten in ten minutes, no kidding, drives me nuts.
    Nancy
    N. R. Williams, fantasy author

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  2. I'm with N.R, sorry. But I do tend to eat less when I'm in the middle of something. It just occurred to me that I've hadn't had dinner for a couple of days. Students, eh?

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  3. It's funny being from a different country - I have no idea what grits are. Grit for me (a London, England person!) is what lorries use to dust the road when it snows. But I don't think that is the same stuff that gets smothered in butter and pepper somehow! :)

    Chocolate. I never really veer off that path. I actually think my super-hero secret is that I am really powered by chocolate.

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  4. Nancy,
    I certainly understand the interruption factor. Now that hubs is retired, I have aided in storm door installation, grocery list compilation & a litany of other tasks I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR. I'm working here darn it!!
    Alexandra,
    In previous projects, I would ignore the hunger bug. But, I had to learn not to do that - it makes me sick. It's sad really. I don't mind missing meals.
    Jayne,
    Grits are ground hominy & an acquired taste. Generally, if you don't grow up with them, you don't acquire it. Being from North Carolina originally, it's pretty much a given. Living in the Rocky Mountains, means I can't always find them. And, I'm right there on the choco-train. What other food goes down dreamy-creamy, makes you smile & is good for ya if you're hitting the high cocoa percentage?

    Thanks for the posts & the laughs ladies.

    Patti

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