I'm Pretty Sure I Haven't Got Writer's Block
But I've got something that's stopping me putting thoughts into cyberspace. That's a more hi-tech way of saying "pen to paper" as I don't write much except shopping lists in longhand these days because my handwriting is so bad I could be a Doctor.
It's not Writer's Block, or Literary Constipation I suffer from, it's a reluctance to come up with a finished product. Which is really weird as I want to get my work finished and off on the publishers' rounds. It's the same for writing reviews for this site - anything to avoid actually sitting down and getting something written. The bizarre thing is I can write. I can waffle on for hours about any subject you care blogging here or on the forums. I'm not short of ideas either, as I'm always planning my novels or doing odd bits of editing. I just can't dedicate myself to my writing.
I consider myself first and foremost a writer. This site (and DVDReviewer) has published me, so I don't consider myself a failed writer. I've written hundreds of reviews, a shedload of columns and more contributions to threads on the forums than I care to think of, but my first love is writing fiction. Comedy fiction, tending to the fantastic. I've been writing that kind of stuff for nearly thirty years, learning my craft, writing and rewriting, submitting here and there to publishers in the early days. But since I've been a carer, I've had other things on my mind and the writing's slipped in my daily priorities. It's getting on for eight years since I last completed a draft of one of my books, and that's not something to be proud of for someone who wants to make a living from the product of his imagination.
One way or another, this year I'm going to get my act together. I feel very positive about my plans, although I now have so many story ideas I need to prioritise the best. And if I can sort out my novel writing, maybe I can get back into the world of reviewing.
It's not Writer's Block, or Literary Constipation I suffer from, it's a reluctance to come up with a finished product. Which is really weird as I want to get my work finished and off on the publishers' rounds. It's the same for writing reviews for this site - anything to avoid actually sitting down and getting something written. The bizarre thing is I can write. I can waffle on for hours about any subject you care blogging here or on the forums. I'm not short of ideas either, as I'm always planning my novels or doing odd bits of editing. I just can't dedicate myself to my writing.
I consider myself first and foremost a writer. This site (and DVDReviewer) has published me, so I don't consider myself a failed writer. I've written hundreds of reviews, a shedload of columns and more contributions to threads on the forums than I care to think of, but my first love is writing fiction. Comedy fiction, tending to the fantastic. I've been writing that kind of stuff for nearly thirty years, learning my craft, writing and rewriting, submitting here and there to publishers in the early days. But since I've been a carer, I've had other things on my mind and the writing's slipped in my daily priorities. It's getting on for eight years since I last completed a draft of one of my books, and that's not something to be proud of for someone who wants to make a living from the product of his imagination.
One way or another, this year I'm going to get my act together. I feel very positive about my plans, although I now have so many story ideas I need to prioritise the best. And if I can sort out my novel writing, maybe I can get back into the world of reviewing.
Your Opinions and Comments
When it comes to stories i can manage about 500 words so as the average short story is at least 1500 this is also a bit of handicap. Still a year ago i hadnt written a story for 30 years so that is an improvemnt.
What I'm saying guys is I feel your pain :(
Sue
x
Some days all I can write is:
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
All work and no play makes Mark a DVD Reviewer
Nothing strange in that, is there?
Well, is there?
'Put one word in front of the other' seemed the best of tehse when it came to procrastnation. Talking about writing is uesless. It's the act of writing alone that gets results.
Other advice (form authors as diverse as Roddy Doyle, Diane Athill, Margaret atwood, etc) included gems like: 'Fill pages as quickly as possible'. 'Restrict browsing on the web, even for research to just one hour a day'. 'If you hit a block, go for a long walk'. 'Do it every day'.
On the plus side I've got a few out there over the last month or so and once I'd started, it seemed to flow reasonably well so there is hope there. My long-term plan was to put together a book or screenplay and that doesn't seem any nearer at this point, but that was definately a long-term goal so at least I don't have the added pressure of unfinished works in the offing.
I think the key is isolation. When I was writing full time, as well as there being no internet, and the telly was crap, I was locking myself away in the front room, putting on some mood music and losing myself in a peculiar little world of my own. For the past dozen or so years, if I've wound up in the front room I've been more likely to start looking around the internet for some distraction. I give myself every opportunity to write, and if I could get my raw thoughts published, I'd be laughing. It's still finished product that eludes me.
In the last twelve months, however, I've decided that getting stressed about not writing isn't worth it. I may think of myself as primarily a writer, but for the past twelve years I've also been a carer - and that's been more important and more rewarding than any writing career. I know my remaining time as a carer is finite - hopefully not too finite - and I wouldn't trade a second of it to be a professional writer.
I've never really thought of a "great work". I couldn't take myself seriously if I had pretensions of great literary achievement. I'm like that Doctor called Who - I'm serious about what I do, but not how I do it.
As a matter of fact I'm trying a new strategy starting this week. I'm converting my desk PC (that's beeen my internet gateway for years) into a writin' machine, and my laptop into my internet machine. It means I can access the internet anywhere in short hit-and-run bursts, and the quiet corner with the desk and easy chair becomes the writing den.
Sorry to hear about your hand. Hope you're a quick healer. If I can help with reviews, I have to confess I am starting to miss having an opinion and being able to ramble in print. ;)