copyright Kim SmithI think I have writer's block. My mind is like this picture of frozen snow-covered object-d'yard art.
It's true. I simply haven't done more than turn my laptop on in nearly two weeks.
Why? Well, I can only tell you the story as it has unfolded.
First, I told myself I was going to write when I got home from work. That to me is the most important part of writing, that telling yourself what you are going to do. If I don't set myself up mentally, I am really setting myself up to fail, but for some reason, this time, I didn't listen to me.
I got home and my hubby wanted to go out to eat, so away we went. When we got home, well, it was Monday! You know what that means! All the funniest sit-coms are on Monday nights, so I digressed. So badly in fact, that I never got back to it. Then well, I didn't sleep well Tuesday night, and fell asleep as soon as I got home Tuesday night. On Wednesday, I actually got the laptop to my lap, and turned on, but had a visitor and they kept my attention focused on them. By Thursday, we were involved in something family-related, and of course when the weekend came, it was a weekend filled with a workshop, house-cleaning, and grocery shopping.
So, what have I learned about writer's block?
1. Do not watch television. Do not even turn it on!
2. Get plenty of sleep!
3. Do not plan your writing when you are likely to be interrupted.
4. Delegate responsibilities at home in order to allow your writing time, or maybe if that is not possible, reschedule it or shorten it.
There is a happy ending to this story however, writing is our love, not our life. It's okay to slip up now and then.
2 comments:
Exactly, Kim. Funny, but I just got over a long spell where I didn't really want to write fiction. I'd finished 16 books and was halfway through book 17. I think it was a combination of things - too much promoting needed for all the releases, my wife's spell w/ pneumonia, moving the whole house around to accomodate her downstairs, etc. I wrote lots of articles and reviews, but I shunned my book. I also think I wasn't sure what should come next. I had a loose list of ideas, but I knew I needed something with a little more "oomph." Finally figured it out, and now it's flowing again. Feels good when it comes back, doesn't it?
Wow, can I ever relate to all that, Kim! I think we all can. While writing is out love, not our life, my WIP has become the small still voice that keeps getting louder. I find lately it is tapping my on the shoulder saying, "It's time to get back to it. Don't you want to know how it ends?"
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