Thursday, April 7, 2011

Dilemma over 3 eclairs,

Two maple bars and a

Twinkie

Well, it’s now 3:00 in the morning,
     and once again, my editor wants something on her
     desk at 10:00 am and once again, I still don’t
     have anything to say.

I‘m sitting here,
Staring at this blank piece of paper,
     (which of course, has not moved for the last 3 hours).

The clock,
     ticking away the minutes in the background, telling
     me, “You better get moving buddy or you won’t
     have a job at 10:00 in the morning.”

Maybe I’ll have another cup of coffee.

No, I’ve already had three pots already.

I’ve been at this job for 6 years now,
     I know how to write.
I didn’t have to struggle like this in the past.
Ideas for stories use to pop into my head,
     born, fully developed,
     living creatures.
     ready to hit the page with zero…

O.K…maybe one rewrite…

     But that was just to check the grammar.

All I had to say was,

“I need an idea!”

     And poof,
             there it was.

Now I scream,
“I need an idea!”

      What do I get?

A blank sheet with crumbs of too many doughnuts that I shouldn’t have eaten.

O.K.

Relax.

Calm Down.

You’ve done this before.

How would you do it if you were
     still in college?

What would Professor. Fitzler say
     if you were in the same situation?

             “Didn’t you take notes that day?”
             “Were you sleeping again?”

I never did like that man.

Uninterrupted writing!

       No, that only works if I have
       An idea to start with…

Free-association…

Oh, that takes too much work!

Writer on something you know,

       Something you have experienced.

                 Rule #1: Always write on experiences that you have had
                 because you can’t write on something
                 you don’t know…
                                             Or something like that.

What I am I feeling now?
         Other than an upset stomach
                  from too many doughnuts.
Frustration…

                      Why?
Because I can’t think of anything to write!
                                                               Why?

I…

I…

I DON’T KNOW!
                              Why?

Because I have writer’s block!

Idea!

                        Well, it’s now 3:00 in the morning,
                         and once again, my editor…

Eagan, 2002

4 comments:

  1. Hmm, it seems you have a lot to write. I encountered several writers who will tell me that when they have nothing to write, they will sit there and start writing about having nothing to write. It usually helps. I just go take a shower. Something about being under running water works wonders. Weird huh? Whatever works. Watched a movie yesterday, "A Dog Year", with Jeff Bridges. It's about a writer who has writer's block but comes out of it with the help of a dog, cute, but it reminded me about what you just wrote...using your own experiences to write.

    Thanks

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  2. Cute.

    For writers block I clean. Dishes, toilets, floors. Ideas come as soon as I'm in the middle of a chore.
    Haven't had issues with ideas lately, house is a mess. :D

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love it! Whenever I need new/fresh ideas I go running or listen to music. Sometimes the solitary time really gets ideas flowing - that or great lyrics.

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  4. " Rule #1: Always write on experiences that you have had because you can’t write on something you don’t know… Or something like that."

    I think this is the best piece of advice - our life is unique and even simple things in our life can turn into interesting reads with a proper literary blend.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete