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It is an honor to have been selected Voice of the Week by Scribd. I join a select group that includes other great Scribd voices: Alikat747, Claire Hennessy, Steve U, aka The Jotter, Ingrid Ricks, Jacqui C Murray, and Laura Novak. Thanks to Scribd and thanks to all my Scribd Scribe friends!
Phantomimic I posted a document on Scribd (Writer's Block)containing quotes by writers on writing and writer's block. At the end I wrote that, although, there are many ways to deal with writer's block, there is one particular way that is very seldom mentioned. This is probably because it is so obvious that it hardly seems worth mentioning. It is the following: When not being able to think of what to write, then write about not being able to think of what to write! That's right, I'm not kidding you! If you have writer's block, write about having writer's block. One of the poets from Scribd, Vedika, did just that in this fine little poem. 3AM Anthem Labour intensive, Cool comprehensive, Jaded and raided and faded away. Face like a washcloth, Bitten through by angry moths, Tired, refired, like unhardened clay. Words from my fingers, Silently linger, Writer’s block, screw this, too much hell to pay. She wrote in the description of the poem: "I loathe insomnia, and writer's block. This was written, surprisingly, at 3am". Or consider the poem written by another Scribd poet, Suchismita. A single word does not pass, Dry and dreary, Oh so parched! Once so full, the plenitude! Emptiness now, so seclude Pen and paper sit side by side, Facing away, a gruesome fight, Mutiny this, sprung up on me, I cannot abide this silent spree! Brain cells tingle with despair, Time ticks by, dangling a sword, How, pray, do I break this Curse? Coffee, candles, hand of God? I search in vain, there is no light, Buzzing ears and fireflies, O gracious words! Do not so mock! Banish thyself, Writer's Block! There are many such examples. You can even write songs about not being able to write songs! Check out this song by Nasri aptly entitled "Writer's Block". You can follow the lyrics here: Lyrics. The above and other similar examples involve stating you have writer's block and describing it. But there is something else you can do. Consider the following piece written by Kenosis23 from Scribd. Thoughts-on-Writer-s-Block As a preamble to this piece Kenosis wrote: "I decided that after finding myself incapable of writing it was time to explore the beast itself..." That's right (or should I say "write"?), don't suffer the beast, tackle it, grab it by the horns and bring it out into the light for everyone to see! Analyze it. Conceptualize it. Demonize it. Metaphorize it. And while you are at it, cut its horns, slash its tentacles, file its teeth and claws, and kick its sorry wart-ridden ass around for a good measure of fun! There is one last thing you can do in this vein about writer's block but we will talk about it in the next post. Until then see you later and thanks for your attention. Phantomimic Note: Vedika's and Suchismita's poems are reprinted here under a creative commons license. I published a short story on Scribd called Duality where a man finds a very unusual way to God, check it out.
Everyone talks about the five stages of grief but I decided to come up with the five stages of writer's grief over losing one's muse (writer's block). Here they are.
Denial No, this is not happening to me. I have to calm down. My muse has not left me. She is just taking a brief break. I know she will be back soon, I can feel it. I will be writing again in no time at all. Anger I can't believe it, she left me! How can she do this to me! How can she feel she can walk away from me anytime she pleases! This is not right, no sir, you don't do this to a writer, especially to one as devoted as I am. You have to come back. You have to come back right now! Do you hear me? That is not a request, that's an order! You are mine and you will do as I say, COME BACK RIGHT NOW........oh how I hate her. Bargaining Just one more story please, oh please, I will do anything you say, I will give you anything you want. I will be your slave, you can own my life, but please come back and inspire me just one more time...pleeeaaseeeee.... Depression I am so sad, I feel so miserable. She will never be back to inspire me again, I am an empty vessel. I am barren. A monkey typing away at a keyboard would probably come up with stories orders of magnitude better than I can think for myself now. I will just crawl into some dark writer's hole and die. Acceptance This is the way it is, why fight it? She is never coming back. My destiny is to fade into the obscurity of the mundane and unoriginal. But you know what? I can take it, I know my place. I will join the pack and disappear into the crowd. Hello writer's oblivion, bring it on! ********************* Of course if your muse happens to be of the opposite sex or even a thing, just make the necessary changes to the pronouns in the text above so it will apply to you. There are many ways to deal with writer's block. You can find them in the web just by searching for "writer's block" or "dealing with writer's block". However, there is one way to deal with writer's block which many artists employ, but that is seldom mentioned. This is probably because it is so obvious that it hardly seems worth mentioning. I will discuss it in my next blog post. Hello everyone, welcome to my blog where I will publicly predicate, prevaricate, ponder, pontificate, predict, promote, prove, and probe. And just to be contrarian let's kick-start this blog by writing about not writing, about being "un-mused" or "de-mused", in other words, writer's block. Post on this topic will be coming soon so keep an eye out for them.
Thank you for your attention. Phanto |
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