I stare at the screen.
Just start, my inner voice tells me. It will become clearer as you go on. But, my arms feel heavy and my brain refuses to focus, hearing cars, a lawn mower, someone practising the trumpet instead.
I get out a notepad and thump it determinedly on the desk. A character map is something I've been meaning to do for a while and will be useful. Afterwards, I look at it, faintly horrified. There are so many and my words their only link. The enormity of the task overwhelms me.
I stare back at the screen. My fingers type out a few sentences that have little relationship to each other. I check the note book, still open on the desk. Nope, not helping at all.
So, I search out the outline that I completed weeks ago, sitting in a cafe. I start to write from it, but end up redoing it instead. Great chunks of literary life are wiped out with a single stroke of a pen. Not much replaces it. Though now, I think it's a better story.
I stare back at the blinking cursor. It doesn't answer with any clues.
Working on a chapter that is fairly clear in my head may be more productive. I start to spew words. Any words. Unworthy words. Give self a sharp talking to and continue. Slowly.
The Twitter icon calls, siren-like, to me as I type. Much easier. More fun. It whispers insistently in a seductive drawl.
I stare at the computer and my arm still itches. My mind's eye sees the character get bitten on the arm by an insect. I type a little faster...
...
The sound of an alarm startles me out of my trance-like state. Two hours have passed and I have been typing furiously. The alarm is for the school pick-ups. Deeply frustrated at having to stop, I type a rough synopsis of what is still in my head.
I know that it will make absolutely no sense to me the next time I read it, but it's better than nothing.
And even better still, another 600 words are down on paper.
How do people do this for a living?
“Upon being asked by a fan how to become a writer, Stephen King replied, "Write.”
Oh this is exactly how it goes for me too. I've been writing a couple of short stories each week, non-fiction memoir stuff and it either flows or photography calls instead.
ReplyDeleteWell, your post is wonderfully written. So, I'm sure that what you're working on is outstanding!
I'd suggest just writing a long rambling flow of words, then edit, edit, edit. Something may come together from it.
ReplyDeleteI'm with River. And judging by the snippet we have here, good things will come of it.
ReplyDeleteI just noticed the Calvin and Hobbes quote on your sidebar. I love them, and don't remember that one. Do you remember which book it came from?
I was just reading on another blog about his frustration with "writer's block". Seems like you have it surrounded though. Not being a writer myself, I just get to sit back and enjoy the outcome of their frustrations turned into a wonderful story. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMy good friend says JUST WRITE. "There's no such thing as coal miner's block, is there?" Ha! I avoid writer's block by doing things like cleaning out the sock drawer and and making sure all the dvd cases have the right movies in them. It doesn't help with writing, but it sure helps with being organized... :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes when you want to do something so badly, it feels forced and difficult. I think sleep helps so much. I seem to solve so many problems and feel refreshed after some rest. Hopefully a time away from the computer can rejuvenate your thoughts...good luck!!
ReplyDeleteHope the writing is going well. Perhaps it has as you have not written here in a while. :-)
ReplyDeleteSusan
You write beautifully Mrs C! I must say that sometimes putting pen to paper is far less distracting than putting words on the laptop. Keep going, keep going, keep going xxxx
ReplyDelete