As an author there occasionally comes a time when I hit that frightening ‘gremlin’ called ‘writer’s block.’ This is either because I’m feeling tired, am frustrated over something, or the words just won’t come to me.
To be honest, all writers have been there at one time or another.
We start our projects with a steely resolve, determination and confidence. Yet, the time has come when we are hit with writer’s block. We find that suddenly we have uncooperative characters, faulty plot lines, and, more often than not, real life responsibilities which are getting in our way. If you are a mother with a large brood of children and need to keep them, not only alive, but entertained during the summer, have too many volunteer commitments (mainly because you just can’t say no), plus the never-
But hang on, you didn’t start out writing only to call it impossible halfway through… did you? We writers have hundreds of words in our heads that are desperate to be written. Words that, no matter how imperfect or chaotic they are at first, are worth the time we spend huddled over our keyboards. And amidst the bedlam of daily life, even sometimes through the noise of the kids’ laughter and squabbles, we still write.
We write in the early morning before the kids wake up. Or late at night when the entire house is finally asleep and quiet. You might drag your ancient and decrepit iPad 2/keyboard case combo around with you like it’s the sixth -
Even when buried under two tons of laundry, you write. And, in between switching the loads and matching what seems like hundreds of socks, you write. And why there? Because of all the places in the house where the kids could find you, the laundry room is the last place they would look.
That’s what it’s about, being a writer. Finding the tiny pockets of time to get a few dozen more words written down. The late nights, the early mornings and self-
We all have goals to reach! Your goal may be upping your word count, revising your scenes or your character development. Whatever it is, this is not the time to let self-
Remember though, that words are important. Without words there are no stories. For me words are the goal. Words that mean something, say something, that belong; not just to me but words I want to share. Words are yours, mine, everybody’s but they belong in my world.
As for you. Well, if all else fails, embrace a change of scenery and go hide in your laundry room. You never know when or where inspiration might strike.
AnnBrady ©