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9/17/10

A 'Novel' Idea


Hello all! Do you want to know what I think? (Hmmm, kind of an irrelevant question since I plan to share whether or not you express an interest in my thoughts, huh? ;D) Anyway, I am of the humble opinion that someone needs to invent...

Writer glue.

I'm serious. Some brilliant mind needs to come up with some sort sort of sticky mixture that someone could slap all over the seat of their desk chair sometimes (that's one too many 'somes' for my taste, but oh well). In this manner, writers could sit down in front of their computers, typewriters, desks, etc., and would be forced to stay in the same spot until they had completed a productive amount of writing time. I would definitely buy it. Preferably in Mega-size.

So how did the ingenious idea for this amazing product come about? Well, I have many ideas for novels and certain events that take place in these novels, but when it actually comes to sitting down and writing... I, uh, need to check my email. Take this moment to do the dirty dishes that are somehow multiplying by themselves in the sink. Get on Facebook. Fold the laundry that's sitting patiently on the couch.

In other words, I come up with excuses. Anything to keep me from sitting down in that desk chair and experiencing...writer's block. Ack! The very thought sends shivers up my spine. That terrible, terrible feeling when the blank page on Microsoft Word blares out at you and your mind feels completely empty. Unfortunately, I seem to experience this quite a bit and am not sure what course of action to take. So my question is:

What do you do to avoid writer's block?

Helpful advice or ideas you can offer would be very much appreciated. Actually, any advice or ideas would be great. Otherwise, I guess I'll begin Googling for the nearest 'writer glue' dealer in my area...

See what a predicament I'm in? ;)

3 thoughts:

Elissa said...

Aw, poor Erin! I feel your pain girl! :D My best solution to writers block is listening to music. I listen to music *A LOT* when I have a writing fit, or when I have a bad case of writers block.

That writer's glue sounds like a wonderful product, buy me a mega-size bottle when you find it 'kay? ;)

~Elissa

Bailey said...

Well, I was supposed to write a whole article on writer's block for a website but I sort of, um, got writer's block.

I think the best solution for writer's block is just doing it. I mean, we psychoanalyze everything, from "This is so boring" (schoolwork) to "This will never get done - !!!" (novel writing). But once I actually force myself to get down and get writing...writer's block disappears.

Generally.

Another thing that's helpful is to plan what you're going to write. Don't start writing (a novel especially) until you're quite certain you've got a plot and know where it's going. Then at least you have a general direction to head toward when you're positively stuck.

Oh, and keep a big notebook handy to scribble down those scraps of inspiration that seem to zip by at the most inconvenient places. It's so much easier to transcribe and edit ideas than create them on a Word document.

Unless, of course, you can't read your handwriting. Which is a whole 'nother story.

LOVED this post! I totally relate. Unfortunately for me, I thought you had the answer...besides the writer's glue.

Erin said...

*grateful smile* Thank you bunches for your excellent advice, ladies! I've been at my wit's end trying to figure out how to get past this. I, um, guess that might have been made kind of evident by me rambling on about some fictitious product, huh? lol

Anyway, thanks again...I appreciate it so very much! :)