21st October 2011
It has been a rather long week. I suppose that is down to how lazy a week it has been. Other than cutting my hedges mid-week and a bit of Civ5 I haven’t done much. Yes that is what holidays are for though I was hoping for some inspiration in the writing department. Unfortunately I have found none though I still have this weekend to find some. I’m just not able to find where to start even though I have a picture in mind I can’t find the right words.
It is never easy to start a new story which is true for most things. Really it is getting the drive to make the start that is the problem usually at least for some of us. Then come the excuses, “Oh, I can do that tomorrow.” And the countless other reasons we find. But as the old saying goes tomorrow never comes. Yesterday though is always a wasted day when we do make pretexts for not doing what we had planned.
What can you do though when we fall into the trap? Not a lot sadly other than try to better today. Yet I’m still finding that I haven’t made the start that I should have. When I think of it I think that this was the same for my last book though I did have more time on my hands then. So a wasted week was less of a problem. Unlike now as on Monday I’ll be back at work which I am looking forward to.
At least I did get one good day to get out into the garden to trim my hedges. With all the wet weather we have had recently I’ve not been able to get them done so they were looking really shabby. It is amazing how untidy they can make the garden look when they’re like that. Whilst doing them though I cut the cable which meant a rewiring job. Luckily it isn’t a hard one so I was up and running after an hour. Now the garden is much tidier looking. So at least the week wasn’t a complete loss.
It is never easy to start a new story which is true for most things. Really it is getting the drive to make the start that is the problem usually at least for some of us. Then come the excuses, “Oh, I can do that tomorrow.” And the countless other reasons we find. But as the old saying goes tomorrow never comes. Yesterday though is always a wasted day when we do make pretexts for not doing what we had planned.
What can you do though when we fall into the trap? Not a lot sadly other than try to better today. Yet I’m still finding that I haven’t made the start that I should have. When I think of it I think that this was the same for my last book though I did have more time on my hands then. So a wasted week was less of a problem. Unlike now as on Monday I’ll be back at work which I am looking forward to.
At least I did get one good day to get out into the garden to trim my hedges. With all the wet weather we have had recently I’ve not been able to get them done so they were looking really shabby. It is amazing how untidy they can make the garden look when they’re like that. Whilst doing them though I cut the cable which meant a rewiring job. Luckily it isn’t a hard one so I was up and running after an hour. Now the garden is much tidier looking. So at least the week wasn’t a complete loss.
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[deleted user]
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Oct 22, 2011 01:21AM
Time spent "thinking" about writing is never wasted. The longer you mull over a story the easier it will be to write because much of its development has already taken place in your head. As you already know, the time to write comes when it comes - it would be foolish to force it.
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Joe (and Billy), Writer's block is a horrible thing. One author who has written intelligently (and humorously) about it is Nicholson Baker in his novel The Anthologist. I would recommend this highly to any writer. I once wrote a ten-page short story (historical fiction) that took me ages to complete because I researched for it as if it was a thesis. I did find, though, that I finally had to force myself to start, and this kept up until I was most of way through the story. I would sit there looking at the screen, trying various things and getting frustrated. Then after a while it would start to come. I did find that being in the right "head space" helped and also working at a certain time of day (for me, it was late at night). Sorry for butting into the conversation, but I had to put in my two cents' worth.
I was just hoping that this week being off work would have allowed me to start my next tale. As you said Joe it will come when it is ready.No Richard you are welcome to offer your view here. It is alway good to hear other's experiences. You never know what you may learn from them. :~)
The writing process happens when the right factors come into play and are delicately balanced. But I personally need a push to jumpstart the process. It's very weird, risky, frustrating--and yet it can be exhilarating. I guess you could say that writers are people who live on the edge. Or should that be "hedge"? :-)
I used to write TV scripts and screenplays and one trick I learned is that you don't always have to start writing at the beginning of your story. You can start writing the scene or chapter that comes through most strongly to you (be it at the start, middle or end of your story). Are Richard and I putting you off writing all together, Billy?
N0, I think is more down to the old excuse we use too often, "Oh I can do it later." Then life has a habit of finding other things for us to do, which is especially true when you have a family. I'm sure i will get a start when the ideas I have can't be held back any longer. Then the problem will finding enough time befoer going to bed to get some sleep for work in the morning. :~)
