Feeling satisfied. My little garden romance was incredibly easy to write, it just flowed, which is not quite enough to make me decide to switch over to writing romance full time, but did remind me that when the writing is going well, that’s usually a sign that I’m on the right track, that I’m going to end up with something I’m happy with.
That’s how writing was when I started, and at points in the middle, but I think too often over the last twenty years, I’ve found myself forcing it, trudging through a scene or story because I know I can mechanically make it work — and I can, I have the skills, but something always seems lacking at the end. The heart isn’t there.
So there’s a resolution for 2017, along with the resolution to actually work on writing every day, and early in the day if at all possible — write with joy. If it’s not joyful, if it feels like I’m fighting the story, then take a break and do something else writing-related — read / research / plot / etc. Come back to the page when I’m ready.