Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Writer's Block

It's probably made of cast iron as it weighs a ton and is holding me down. :(

SteveD probably hates me at this moment. I've been struggling with streamlining our chapter into one cohesive narrative, but have failed miserably. Every time I opened our document, it stared back at me. All his prose looking so polished and complete; all my words jumbled and disorganized. I struggled with it, rearranging paragraphs. Editing sentences. Adding headings. Nothing I did made it seem less cobbled together from the writings of a genius (him) and a goober (duh).

I dreamt that he let me hold Emma and I dropped her. When I woke up, I realized it wasn't his actual child I had dropped, but his literary progeny.

The chapter is now back in Steve's hands so that he can strangle me while he whips it into shape with characteristic flair and cussing. I dread being on IMs tomorrow, for he shall surely flail the skin off my computer screen with irritation.

Though I doubt he would ever say or think the same of me, I miss him :)

I am also honestly suffering from the inability to string together bundles of phrases as quickly as I would like. It irks me. Everything I write sounds to me like everything else I've ever done.

Desperately in need of inspiration. Hepl?

6 comments:

  1. I just sold an article on breaking writer's block, oddly enough. To me, though, it seems like you're defeating yourself. The key is to write, and write more, and read, then write some more, and don't self-flagellate.

    Well, and outlining really helps, but that's a different stage entirely.

    Quit psyching yourself out!

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  2. That's why I keep updating my blog and writing Yelp reviews. I figure any writing is better than simply fretting.

    But deadlines, you know. They haunt me.

    Good for you selling an article! When can I read it and learn what to do? :D

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  3. You're your own worst enemy. I can't imagine that anything you write stinks. You do not write stinky stuff. You are stink-free. Stinkless. Sans stink.

    Really. You're good. Very good. Awesome good. Keep at it!

    I'm not sure which newsletter it'll be out in, but I'll let you know when I know! Now, I'm writing about werewolves. I have a deadline, too...

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  4. I would help if only I weren't in the same spot :(

    I have this novel in my nads (and in my head). It's all laid out, it's interesting, it's even funny to write!

    I just.. can't.. go on. It's painful! I feel a damn clock ticking away while time passes and those chapters are dying of hunger and thirst. I keep posting silly stuff on gaming forums but I can't go on with my own thing? DAMN!!

    Sorry, I know this is not helping at all.. but it's really eating me alive. Meh! :(

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  5. No wonder you can't write, Mr. Falconeer...to have a novel in your nads must make it difficult to sit still!

    ;)

    I'm sure we'll both get through this!

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  6. I find that talking through my narrative sometimes helps me break the writing deadlock. I sit somewhere away from distractions (and folks who would think I'm deranged) and speak the idea until words come. Keep pencil and paper immediately handy.

    On rare occasions I sing the idea, because writing is lyrical and cadence often determines the choice of words.

    Hey. Stop looking at me strange.

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