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I recently read a new definition of 'acedia' (uh-see-dee-uh) which I had never heard before. Ok, to be perfectly honest I'd never even heard of the word before, but it intrigues me.
According to Susan Page ("The Shortest Distance Between You and a Published Book: 20 Steps to Success", 1997, pg. 218. Which is an earlier version of "How to Get Published and Make a Lot of Money", I think.), "Acedia is the inner process you must go through in order to undertake a creative endeavor that you not only want to do but actually long to do. Such a creative task is often a huge undertaking."
I had previously attributed my inertia to procrastination (a complete other topic I will 'someday' get around to [grin]), but Susan Page writes, "Procrastination is resistance to doing a task. Acedia is the opposite: a slow, laborious giving-in to the task, a letting go of resistance, an embracing of the challenge of creativity." (pg. 219) Now that I like. I like the picture of a 'slow, laborious giving-in'. Like sinking down into a very, very hot bath. You gotta work your way into it. First the toes, then the ankle and so on, until your body is finally acclimated enough to sink up to your neck. Once you're in, it feels fantastic, but before that, it's a slow, sometimes uncomfortable process.
Just like writing, or any creative process, really. I think I've nearly nailed my query letter, but now what? Back to edits? Or, yuk, compiling a synopsis? [shudder] I'm feeling a bout of 'acedia' coming on...
I like the idea of those sluggish moments being attributed to something other than procrastination. Something that actually ends up 'aiding' the creative process. It's true, as we push through, muddle through, or, uh, write-a-blog-instead-of-edit through, we finally do arrive at the taking off point. Our inertia is reversed and we jolt into the slipstream, words pour fourth, creativity rises and away we go!
Incidentally, if you look up 'acedia' most of the definitions tie back to one of the seven deadly sins. Hmmm, sounds more like procrastination to me.
What about you? Do you ever suffer from 'acedia'? If so, what do you do while you're going through it?
- Riss
9 years ago
2 comments:
If you want you can acedia to sending me your query letter and I will tell you how it reads to an abominable stranger who never met you and does not read romance (i.e., someone who bears a strange resemblance to an editor or agent while being neither.) I am pretty good at critting, but you have to want an honest answer. Whether you accede after acedia is up 2 U.
This is one area in which you get what you don't pay for, and when you hire someone you tend to not get what you do pay for. So opinions from the unpaid and well meaning are probably to be preferred over the kind you fork out to get.
Good luck with your book in any event,
Hey Steve,
I did reply to your earlier offer to swap queries (see First Time Lucky blog comments). I'm more than happy to swap. However, I'm really new to blogging etc, so have no idea how to 'mail' you my query. I checked out your blog, but no cigar on the addy...? Prob just me having no clue where to look...
-Riss
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