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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

February and the Insecure Writer

This is my entry into the monthly Insecure Writers' blog hop.  To read posts from other participants,  click here: Alex J. Cavanaugh, Insecure Writers Support Group.

Become a better writer by writing.  I’ve been practicing this for three years now.   I’m committed to improving.  That’s why you are getting this “brain dump” of a blog post.  I haven’t written anything of substance for a few weeks now, and someway, somehow, I’ve got to keep going, to keep chugging, to force myself to write even when no great inspiration percolates.  

Dry spells come to all.  I’ve had my share.  Enough to know the way to get the word-water running again is to turn on the faucet and keep it on until thoughts work through the clog the way the degreaser powers through a hairball in your drain.   

So I’m here, typing the keys, thinking about how the hot bean pad I have on my shoulder is burning my skin but not reducing the stiffness from sleeping wrong the night before last.  Thinking about the farm we passed on our way to the mall the other morning, and how the rusted shell of an old tractor parked in front of two grain silos would make a lovely black and white photo if I can get back there again soon.  

I’m pondering the “resting” WIP, and trying to figure out how so many writers write new works while editing others.  I worry I’ve got too much singular focus to manage that, but if I want to keep writing I need to figure out how…

I’m thinking about my most recent blog post pertaining to a breakfast/lunch joint for South Shore Living and what a blast it was to write.  On the other hand, last week's monthly contribution to the local newspaper on behalf of seniors didn’t flow—I’m not surprised because I wrote from an “assignment” frame of mind and not from a place of passion, as the subject matter didn’t touch me.

And lastly, I am thinking about The Artists Way and morning pages and how this spew of words on the page would be acceptable if they were in a notebook no one was going to read, but since they are here out in public, in hindsight, it's a strong possibility I'm going to wish I never clicked “publish.”

10 comments:

Old Kitty said...

I hope you do return to get a pic of that tractor! You have a artist's eye for the creative!!

Take care
x

J.B. Chicoine said...

It sounds as if we're both suffering from the winter blahs--We can call it that, right? Your approach to the IWSG is a whole lot more imaginative than mine this morning. You even came up with a nice metaphor and pretty mental images.

All I did was whine...

Tonja said...

I think morning pages make for interesting blog posts. I did them a couple of years ago (on paper) - it was funny to go back and read them.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I'm glad you clicked "publish" and visited my blog. It's a bit ironic that your words seem to flow like a tranquil stream despite the subject matter. In fact, I will come back for more.
xoRobyn

Jan Morrison said...

hey kid! remember - we don't wait for the muse to show up - she or he'll find us writing away even if it seems like priming a dry pump. Or as Dory in Finding Nemo said 'just keep swimming, just keep swimming'
I like this post because it is real.

Anonymous said...

The writing doesn't always flow the way we want it to. When mine doesn't, I stop and read - Hemingway in particular; and historical fiction like Dear and Glorious Physician. There's always the danger that I'll feel intimidated by such awesome prose, but I usually am energized afterwards.

Thanks, Liza, for a very thoughtful post that I think all of us can relate to!! We've all been there, and as Jan says, quoting Nemo, we should "just keep swimming."

And BTW, your posts that I've read all flow beautifully!!
Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror & Other Memoirs

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I just came through a dry spell. It happens. And I can't work on more than one project at a time either.

Nicki Elson said...

Did it work? Did it work? Did the word faucet keep flowing??

Isis Rushdan said...

Every writer is different and one's process should be unique. Don't feel like you have to meet some standard. We all have dry spells. Just remember that it is nice to have your muse sitting by your side helping, but even a muse can go MIA. When they do disappear, treat your writing like a job that must be done, no matter what.

Catherine Denton said...

Don't regret it. I enjoyed seeing your mind's eye. It gave a little taste of you. I hope you do get back for that picture. :)
Catherine Denton