Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since there’s no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!! Yes, that’s exactly what’s happening, here in Arklow at the moment! A blanket of snow is covering the town, the east coast and probably most of the country. So it’s just as well there’s no place to go, because there’s no way of anybody getting anywhere!! For 6 days now, Arklow has been forced to close it’s doors to all, because of the snow. I’ve never seen it so white before in all my life! The temperatures are hitting record-breaking lows… -10!! It’s crazy.. Global warming is effecting the whole world, and Ireland too! What a strange place to be and to witness this is freaky.
Everywhere stops, when the snow starts. The kids are delighted to get a week off school and the parents complain about the cold toes, fingers and noses, the cost of the heating and the dangers of driving. Not a car is on the road and there‘s an eerie silence almost everywhere. People are walking and the Christmas songs feel even more cosy than ever before (and there’s still weeks before the festivities truly hit the world!). The teenagers hang around, firing snowballs, and feel as if to be on holidays.. The happy ones wish passers-by ‘happy snow day’ and the ones eager to torment, simply throw snowballs at strangers!
As for me, I love it! I haven’t been in these temperatures since… 2005..?? That was the last time I’ve seen snow, it was when I was working in Austria. And it so gorgeous to have these memories, whilst being in Arklow. A great experience! I feel to be hibernating for winter and the snow is making me feel so settled. When I relate this to what’s going on in my life right now, it’s just perfect! What’s going on? Well, my life has temporarily become my book. I’m literally starting to live and breathe it.
I’m dreaming of it all night, I’m thinking of it all day. I work on it, just about everyday. I need to often force myself to focus my mind on other things, so as to keep the creative juices fresh! But when I’m getting stuck in to other things, I get these breakthroughs that reveal the ‘plot’ a little bit more. Other times I wake-up and need to grab my pen, because something new suddenly has come to me in my sleep. During the week I was actually speaking the words I’d been writing, in my dream! I was talking in book-form! And all of these insights and ‘knowledge’ I never knew I had, has been popping up out of nowhere! It’s an amazing experience - but the strangest thing too.
I had my 2nd or 3rd writers block, last weekend. It made me panic, freak out and I got so scared! I felt lost and couldn‘t see where I was going. I’d learnt by overcoming the past few ‘blocks’ what I had to do. I simply told myself: “Niamh, walk away from it and steer clear of the delete button!!” So that’s what I did and the next day, things were fresh and flowing once again! It can be the strangest thing, when a block is stumbled upon. Last weekend, it was severe. I got to a stage where I wasn’t going to leave the room until the book was complete! I was determined to stay away from the world for as long as I needed, so as to get through the mental block. I was serious when thoughts came to mind of skipping the Christmas celebrations with the family, if it wasn’t totally finished! This made me realize just how important this book has become to me. It’s like I’m giving birth to something. It’s like this book is my baby and it’s all I care about at the moment and so I’m standing strong by what I said: there’s no Christmas for me this year, if I haven’t pressed the final full-stop that will complete the story!!
So my book is at a stage now, where it needs me to totally hold my focus. There can’t be any distractions and nothing is allowed to stop the flow! It’s like the snow is urging the flow of the book. It’s freaky, but I’m taking this eerie feeling of stillness that’s everywhere around me, to keep me driven in terms of writing. It’s like I’m experiencing the calm before the storm - the storm that may either occur in my life, or in the world(I’m not too sure where it’s going to be!).
But, whatever may be about to happen; it’s snowing and my book is flowing. I’m seeing this as an opportunity to work towards a deadline, by which I want the manuscript finished. I don’t know if it’s wise to put my deadline in writing, here on this blog. It’s putting pressure on myself. But maybe that’s what I need! I don’t know if it’s do-able or not... Because the thing is, I’m new to this whole “book-world” and I haven’t a clue how long it could take to re-read, to edit and make any necessary adjustments. But having said that, I can feel that it’s coming to an end and I know more or less what I still want to bring into the story. I can feel, more or less, that I’m nearly there! Yes, it’s all “more or less..” I’ve been going with the flow ever since I started the ‘job’ and I’m still am. Flowing means I haven’t got too much to hold on to, but, at the same time, I’ve got just about enough to know what I have to do.
So… The deadline has been set with the pack of snow that sits on the roof, keeping me settled and warm, safe and cosy! How happy I am for global warming to take such a turning. It’s gorgeous and I love it!! The countdown has begun and all that’s left now for me to do.. is to continue as before… my desk awaits!! Thank you thank you thank you!! And I wish you such a happy snow day!!!
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