Tuesday's Inspiration - Writer's Block #MFRWauthor #writer's block

This was first written in 2010 but it remains true to this day. There is a disease suffered by writers.

Almost every writer has suffered from writer's block and there are no sure cures for the condition. A writer writes. That's the sum total of the problem and may be the solution. I've suffered three times in my career from being unable to write. Maybe the causes were unique to me but they may be reasons other people can relate to.

One - A meeting with an agent who liked my writing. She asked me to bring three ideas when I traveled to NYC for a meeting with her. I wrote three sketches of books I thought she might see the value of. She read them and then told me, "They're good. Just pick one and write the book." That's when it hit me. Those weren't my stories. They were ones I thought someone else would like. The ideas were good but really not my kind of books.

Two - Had an editor like a book and she made detailed suggestions on a book that was essentially written. Her suggestions were great. Now comes the kicker. Making the suggested changes set me off on a different direction and a different story. For several weeks I tried to fit the changes into the book I'd written and mostly sat and stared at the pages. Because of the suggested changes I saw a different book and not the one I'd already written. The suggestions were wonderful but not for the book I'd written. A new book was all I could see.

Three - Having written three novellas that are interconnected, I need a fourth to complete the series. For the past six months I have toyed with this concept and nothing came to mind. I jotted down scenarios that sounded reasonable but I was unable to write more than a paragraph or two. Just the other day something started bubbling in my unconscious. It's not ready yet, but I think I will be able to finish the quartet.

Now for the bit of advice. Writer's block can be caused by writing something that's so not you, having changes suggested that don't fit your story and by being unable to find the proper vehicle for a story. Are there cures? Perhaps but each person must find his or her own. Mine is this Be true to yourself and write what you'd like to read. One often given to me by other writers is to just apply the seat of your pants to the chair and your fingers to the keyboard. Before you know it,the block eva

Tuesday's Inspiration - Writer's Block Be Gone #MFRWauthor

Writer's Block is something that at some time in a writer's career occurs. What begins as "I don't know where this story is going" to This story is a piece of the worst drivel." When this happens the tendency is to go in circles like being on one of those multi lane traffic circles and not being sure which lane will take you in the direction you want to go.

I once experienced the one that said "Hang up your computer and find a life." I stopped writing for a year. I wasn't happy during that time. So one day I sat down and began again with reading books such as Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott and also books about the techniques of writing. Now most people don't take this kind of a path and don't take a year to realize they're doing what they're supposed to be doing - writing.

The best thing I did during that time of blockage was to read those books and also to read books that I had loved and explore authors long lists of books. The other was just to live and suddenly I began to take notes about things I'd seen or that I'd read. Some erupted into poetry and others meant nothing. Soon the block had evaporated and I found the right lane to escape the circle.

Tuesday's Inspiration from an essay by Jaques Barzun #MFRWauthor

"No writer has ever lived who did not at one time or another get stuck." Jaques Barzun.

What he's talking about is writer's block and the need for discipline. I had a long time writer's block and I knew the cause. I was working 13 hour shifts as a nurse and frankly I was drained physically and mentally. Sure I wrote a few bits and pieces but nothing that went anywhere or connected to anything.When the time came to leave this demanding job and begin to write again, I found it hard to do more than bits and pieces.

What I finally did was go back to the beginning and start with a plan. I set myself a low goal of words on a story I'd organized with many pages of notes. First 500 words a day and I refused to stop until I had these words. Discipline is what kept me moving forward. Now I do 2 or 3000 words a day. Sometimes i get stuck. I force myself to write out the plan of the story and suddenly I can write again.

So discipline is the word to remember. No one is forcing you to write and no matter the reason for writing once the flow begins put the words down. Remember that the discipline will allow you to revise and make the story a great one.

Also remember the words from the opening sentence. You are no different from any other writer. When you're stuck try a little discipline or some other trick that works for you to push beyond that gap.

Meandering On Monday with Janet Lane Walters

Meander 1 - Writer's Block. I have been accused of never having writer's block and that's probably true, except there was a time when I didn't write. Not that I couldn't but I didn't. This was the time when I returned to work as a nurse and spent hours going after two degrees one in English and one in nursing. Though some of the writing I did during the quest for a BA in English were creative, they weren't stories to charm and entice readers. There was the one in Milton done is blank verse that the teacher thought was brilliant but just didn't fit the criteria. There was also the one where I set out to show my favorite poet was also the author of some plays when the author of the play vanished at the same time the poet had a life changing event. I will admit I had a great time writing these papers and I did get good grades but they weren't stories designed to wow readers. But about Writer's Block. I may not be the world's greatest writer but there are stories to be told and I find that organizing and writing what I call a chapter synopsis keeps me on target and keeps the words coming word after word. Probably it's because I'm stubborn and that's something that's come with age. And somehow, there's another story to be told. Now I do write a lot of things when I'm putting words on paper like They make love or there is a fight scene here. I always come back to these scenes when I'm ready.

Meander 2 Book reviews. I seldom seek them. I have friends who live and die by them. I've seen people stop writing because someone trashed their story. Frankly, I really don't care what other people think of my stories. What I feel about what I've written is important to me. This is also a process of aging. So if you've felt comfortable with your story keep writing. Beginnings are usually easy, middles might mean some slogging and endings are tricky. The real point is to be happy with what you've written and not letting the story get out to an editor until you're happy with it. Then ignore the reviewers.

Meander 3 My writing. Am working on two stories Rekindled Dreams is evolving more every day. I've made changes in the ending that brings changes throughout the entire story and that's fine. When the story is done I'll be happy with it. Sometimes I envy people who punch their stories out quickly and I've been accused of this at times but my stories don't come all that fast. Depends on the length. Am also working on The Amber Chronicles and I do believe the opening story in the collection is strong. The Amber Orb sets up the other stories in the collection and also means there need to be some changes made to the four already written stories in the collection. I also need to start getting stories that were released from a former publisher ready to go to Books We Love where I do believe they will have a better life than where they were before.

3 blog visit Sunday found by Janet Lane Walters

Here are some blogs of interest to the writer I found and read during the week.
hanttp://medicalscenewriter.blogspot.com/

http://coldcoffee.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-three-most-common-mistakes-beginning-fiction-writers-make

http://suzannerock.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/budget-creativity-writers-block-when-good-ideas-go-bad/

A bit of Inspiration -- Writer's block

Almost every writer has suffered from writer's block and there are no sure cures for the condition. A writer writes. That's the sum total of the problem and may be the solution. I've suffered three times in my career from being unable to write. Maybe the causes were unique to me but they may be reasons other people can relate to.

One - A meeting with an agent who liked my writing. She asked me to bring three ideas when I traveled to NYC for a meeting with her. I wrote three sketches of books I thought she might see the value of. She read them and then told me, "They're good. Just pick one and write the book." That's when it hit me. Those weren't my stories. They were ones I thought someone else would like. The ideas were good but really not my kind of books.

Two - Had an editor like a book and she made detailed suggestions on a book that was essentially written. Her suggestions were great. Now comes the kicker. Making the suggested changes set me off on a different direction and a different story. For several weeks I tried to fit the changes into the book I'd written and mostly sat and stared at the pages. Because of the suggested changes I saw a different book and not the one I'd already written. The suggestions were wonderful but not for the book I'd written. A new book was all I could see.

Three - Having written three novellas that are interconnected, I need a fourth to complete the series. For the past six months I have toyed with this concept and nothing came to mind. I jotted down scenarios that sounded reasonable but I was unable to write more than a paragraph or two. Just the other day something started bubbling in my unconscious. It's not ready yet, but I think I will be able to finish the quartet.

Now for the bit of advice. Writer's block can be caused by writing something that's so not you, having changes suggested that don't fit your story and by being unable to find the proper vehicle for a story. Are there cures? Perhaps but each person must find his or her own. Mine is this Be true to yourself and write what you'd like to read.