The last couple of weeks I’ve generally written something about writing or publishing on Fridays. It wasn’t intentional, just happened that way. But I’m thinking maybe I’ll make it a regular feature. When I first started up the original Cheeseburger at Journalspace I did quite a bit of writing about writing… before I was distracted.
Today I thought I’d ponder writers block. Just briefly, because I don’t have it, never get it, and I have four columns due by the end of the day. Oh, and a manuscript to rewrite.
I’m not being a dickhead about never getting writers block; I just don’t. That doesn’t mean however that I don’t occasionally stare at the screen with a big dollop of spittle oozing out of my mouth, motionless hands lying on the keyboard like a couple of dead skinless rats. It doesn’t mean I don’t get distracted by YouTube, or Fail Blog, or this joint, or your blogs, or whatever fine piece of televisual entertainment I’ve recorded on the Foxtel box upstairs.
But that’s not writers block, that’s weakness and laziness.
Some writers do get it, of course. Some poor bastards get it something terrible, sometimes for the simplest of reasons. Jim Minz the US editor/publisher on Final Impact was visiting my place recently with his family and told me a story about a very famous US sci-fi author who suffered crippling writers block for two or three years after he gave up smoking. Having a lit cigarette beside his keyboard or typewriter was such an important part of his productive ritual that taking it away meant taking away his ability to tell stories.
For me writers block is less an issue than “going tharn”, a phrase from the old Watership Down novel to explain what happens to a rabbit when it stops in the middle of the road transfixed by the onrushing headlights of a car. Deadlines can be like that. Sometimes they can come at you so quickly with such thunderous world ending clamor that you feel as though you are paralyzed, when really all you have to do is put one little rabbit’s paw in front of the other and get your furry little arse on the move.
That’s why I write in two hour blocks. There’s nothing remotely romantic in a literary sense about dividing your day up the way lawyers spoon their’s out in six minute increments. But it means that when I place arse to Aeron I’m not thinking in terms of some life crushing tsunami of words that’s about to plow me under, I’m only thinking about the next two hours. In fact not even that, since I have a little break at 55 minutes to get up, stretch around and maybe give the dog a bit of a scratch behind the ear.
Unless she’s been farting under my workbench of course. In that case there is no ear scratching, just harsh words and recriminations.
So, for those of you with looming deadlines, be they manuscripts or assignments or just a bit of fan fiction you wanted to get done, don’t think about the deadline or the impossible amount of work you have to get through to meet it. Just think about the very small amount of work you have directly in front of you. One screen, one page. That’s all you’re thinking about. There is an apt phrase from Weapons of Choice, something Karen Halabi’s mum used to say.
“Don’t try to eat the elephant in one bite.”
If anyone has any writing or editing questions they’d like me to look at over the next couple of Fridays feel free to pop them in below. I’ll try to answer them one at a time.
As a measure of how busy it gets around here occasionally, someone reminded me the other day that I was now writing for SBS. Indeed I am, but I had forgotten. The same way I sometimes forget that I still write for Penthouse. It’s a pretty sweet gig. They send me DVDs of upcoming shows and I write about them, or rather not so much about the shows as about the ideas behind them. The first DVD was a documentary about the Vatican, which I found more interesting than you might imagine because Jane and I visited there while we were in Rome on our honeymoon. Instead of reviewing the show I used it as an opportunity for riffing on the future of cities.
The link is here for anyone who cares.
Oh, here is a simple question. Do you try to write while someone is looking over your shoulder?
That drives me absolutely batshit when it happens to me.
Respects,
Murph
On the Outer Marches
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Jen its kind of a workbook. I think there might be a companion workbook that goes with it, but its worth buying. They usually have them in the big bookstores – dunno what you’ve got over there, but here our big three level superbookstore is called ‘borders’ and they always have them.
It takes 12 weeks at least to work through ‘the program’ so three months might be a bit of a stretch for a library loan. My advice would be to hunt it down in a bookstore and take a squiz through it. Somewhere online there’s an internet site for people who are working through it to discuss it together, too. Might pay to google it. I have a few friends from the Queensland Writers centre who have done it so am a bit suspicious about the silence on it here, but I think its really worth trying. It does address a lot of the issues that we seem to bring up, which aren’t related to our writing as to the other things in our lives that stop us from doing what we’d like to do with it.
Murph I can’t write with THE CAT looking over my shoulder. Much less a human. And the cat is a worry because she likes to sleep on the raised shelf by my IMAC on the warm, vibrating surface that is the printer.
FKN cat. You know how they look at you. that whole ‘Why bother? You’re an idiot. You’re completely inadequate. All you’re good for is opening tins. Give up. I’ve seen better efforts from a dead gecko.’
collective writers block syndrome. a classic global comedy.
there’s about 6 or so of us in this loose agreement left over from some freelancing on one of the first truly web based travel sites circa 1998-9.
we threw an outline together, registered and copyrighted the thing in the US …….. that was well over 10 years ago.
like getting 6 people from all over the planet to co write is one thing, doing it another.
Oz being 10 hours behind everything & everybody, language complications plus individual commitments.
A few of us give it a nudge every now and then, send the drafts out & 3 months later there’s this reply in your inbox .
so we’ve had collective “writers block” affectionately known as “well bugger me syndrome” for about 6 years now.
- noting birminghams current little ACT marriage is bliss adventure:
one of our crew, raman, was hooked up hindi style in india a while back, invitations were extended all round the planet, some or us met up for this unique event over in delhi never to be the same again …. the frenchman even brought his recumbent bicycle! (shades of slouchbiker), the hawaian wife of a californian heart surgeon fell in love with a wealthy prince etc etc
just ravin’ on this very fine sunday morn’, having just watered the black russian tomatoes, thirsty little mites them ones, and the stove top brew is piping it’s characteristic insistent rumble
there’s probably a book in the book so to speak.
have a great motograndprix day.
pz.v.
Three things: first, I am about to start a diploma course, and while the material at 1st glance appears relatively understandable, I have forgotten everything I used to know about academic writing. Even when I was at Uni a million years ago, different tutors/lecturers had different expectations, what’s great for one was not so for the next etc. Given this is a distance education gig, I’m at a bit of a loss. Any tips JB or from the gallery? I have a book floating around here somewhere but it’s a tad elderly. Happy to shell out reasonable dollars if necessary.
2nd – I note that some of you mentioned voice recording ideas and notes, and John is using a dictation software. Due to an accident some years ago, while I was at Uni, My right (Writing) hand no longer functions as it should. Until that point I had always done my first draft/s longhand, but can no longer do that for more than a couple of minutes at a time. One of the (many) reasons I ultimately dropped out of my degree course. I tried at the time to use a small recorder, but had trouble with hearing what had been said, either by lecturers or myself. Maybe there is a reasonably priced model out there somewhere with decent sound quality that someone could recommend? My cobbled together PC wouldn’t handle a dictation software I don’t think, and I’m certain my budget wouldn’t.
Finally – and by no means least – My name is Mayhem (well it’s not actually but it’ll do for now) and I am a BLOGAHOLIC! I have strayed from this blog to several of those linked here and plan to visit more. Jenniki I am in awe. Beeso and The Wife had me riveted, GirlClumsy, I doubt we’ve met but you look awfully familiar, GuruBob, you kept me up until the wee hours of this morning. There are Others, but I don’t want you all to think I am a crazed stalker just yet. I want to be able to do this. I don’t know if anyone will visit me, I’m seriously kinda boring, but I think that a few words on a regular basis about anything or even nothing could be therapeutic. Question is where do I start?
Quokka thank you for the heads up on that workbook. I heard a rumor that Amazon is offering some kind of fantastic deal over the holidays for books–something crazy like $9 for most books or something, I really need to check that out–anyway I will look into ordering it online.
Mayhem that is so nice of you to say! You should definitely start a blog–I’d read it. Blogger and WordPress are pretty popular places. I prefer Blogger, I think it’s more user-friendly, but I think WordPress offers more in terms of widgets and page layout options.
I have another question on writing, something that came up on Twitter with @Blarkon. Do you prefer linear writing or do write scenes and chapters then deal with organizing them all together later?
Also, when writing novels–especially ones with multiple character and storylines–do you have some “big picture” plan mapped out? For example do you have whiteboard or do use utilize a detailed outline tree that branches out, showing all the characters and their stories and their various intersections? Or is that something that you are able to organize better in your head?
Sorry about all my typos. My keyboard keeps getting stuck and I’m missing letters and sometimes whole words now when I type things out.
Mayhem-
Oh yes, I can only encourage you to start a blog here! I’ve only recently discovered “Cheeseburger Gothic” or whatever the entire blog site is called and it’s really great here; just a really nice corner of blogland and I’d certainly take an interest.
You asked JB “or the gallery” if anyone had advice re your distance ed course and resuming academic writing (or writhing, more to the point, isn’t it?).
I don’t know if this is the kind of feedback you were looking for, but…
I would suggest you contact the Study Skills Centre at the university and see if they offer on- line tutorials on ‘style’ -ie; how they like you to footnote etc.,
Just those basic things make one feel more confident. Definitely be in touch with them.
If your work is essay- based, the following may be useful , otherwise, maybe not:
I know exactly how you feel, so I empathise. I returned to a post grad in Art History ( having done little of it previously as an undergrad) not so long ago, and after a 10 year break I found myself staring at the screen/tidying cobwebs/dusting the car, because I hadn’t a clue where to start and I was absolutely desperate to invent excuses.
Especially when it’s a subject you are still learning the coda for. Once you crack it you’re ok; it’s just the initial part.
For me the trick was doing lots of reading beforehand; sleeping on it to let it swirl around; making notes- always have a notebook if you are a writer (is my motto anyway) and it all just pours out once you get the introductory sentence written.The first two sentences are the key to the rest of the essay.
I hope all that doesn’t sound preachy. I wasn’t sure what you needed to know precisley but thought I’d chip in a guess at it. Good luck to you!
Awesome. I’ll be sure to check in on Fridays especially.
My first question is how to find the right people for quality feedback, esp if one is vulnerable to random stabs of shyness.
My second question is, how does one combine kid wrangling and writing? The two states of mind have been mutually exclusive in my experience. Is alcohol essential?
Thanks Jennicki and Abigail.
Unfortunately Abigail, the diploma is not offered through a university. It’s work related (finance) and offered by our licensee. After 12 months in this specific branch of finance I’m pretty well okay with the jargon and they’ve sent explicit instructions in the study materials as to how to quote, what’s expected in the way of referencing etc., but a criticism I encountered at uni was that my writing style was too personal I suppose. Given that the assessment is basically an essay and an exam, (probably also essay form), my problem is do I write as is natural to me, or try to get all academic thinky whatever with it? While I can email technical questions to the tutors, they will not offer any feedback or assistance on drafts for the assignment, something my uni tutors were for the most part happy to do.
The other thing I found helpful at uni was online forums, where students (and tutors)could post questions, answers, feedback etc., doesn’t exist here. They recommend that I try to find someone else doing the module to bounce ideas around with, but how the hell do I do that? Hopefully the boss will have some ideas on that, as he worked extensively for our parent company before branching out on his own.
Guess I can probably figure it out myself, I’m not actually an idiot most of the time, but after failing in my last study endeavour I’m freaking out a bit. Abigail, not at all preachy, unfortunately notebooks don’t work for me, but a voice recorder would accomplish the same thing. Maybe I should get the brat to show me how to use the one on my phone? Mind you I’m still waiting for him to teach me how to upload photo’s from phone to Facebook.
Thanks to you both for your encouragement and kind wishes. Still thinking about the whole blog issue, concerned that if I do it will just mean one more way to procrastinate, (much funner than dusting the car!). Jennicki, if I ask you what a widget is will that give you a clue as to how hopelessly untechminded I am? (So gonna use that word in a scrabble game!!!)
Thanks
No worries Mayhem! I’m terrible with techie stuff. I just pick things up and learn as I go. Widgets are nothing more than “extras” you an add to your website, like a poll box or photo slideshow, for example.
As for your writing concerns–why don’t you start a blog and post your essay there, along with the terms of it, and people can make suggestions for your edits and revisions?
You talked me into it ladies. You can check it out here, but you have been warned.
http://mayhem-madness.blogspot.com/
It’s very basic, but I will go back and play with it a little bit later.
how often whilst writing, following plots and scenes laid out do you diverge and find you will now weave a new thread into the overall story….I’m curious because I have just done it, its more work, but for a reason and I am curious if its an accepted thing and how often this manifests itself.
Hi Mayhem-
Oh so you’re doing something related to the actual world we live in :) (as opposed to anything I’ve studied)- in that case yes, the writing rules might be very different!
I’m with you about the lack of online chat – that’s really slack.
I have only ever been allowed to write thinkily-worded essays and if you were told at uni to do that, I’m not surprised because it seemed to be a requirement across the faculties, from what I could tell. But if you’re doing this through a private work place (I know that’s not the right term, sorry) then it could be otherwise. Personally, I’d be writing it in a more formal voice, for sure. I’d be curious what they said if you were to ask them. But yes, like Jennicki just said, keep in touch about it if you want to bounce anything off the posts – it’s so tough when you’re studying if you feel isolated with it ; one of the major ways to get through uni is to talk each other through the writing process (and JB will be back of course with all of his wordy brilliance :)
Annette, that’s two very difficult q’s. First up, I’ll answer your second because in some ways it is the easier of the two. You’re right, parenthood and creative work of any kind don’t necessarily go well together, especially for the at-home parent. (Altho arguably no paid employment actually meshes well with parenthood). The degree of difficulty changes with the kids ages. I found that I still had plenty of time to write when mine were very young, simply because they slept so much. The hardest time was probably the toddler/pre-school years when they need nearly constant supervision and, of course, you’re also working very hard to stop the house descending into chaos. I achieved very little in those years while I was on deck at home and at one point had to call my magazine editors and tell them not to commission me until the kids got to school. I simply didn’t have time. I think I managed to get about 2-3 hrs productive work a day done in that period. Soon as they were old enough to go to school things improved markedly, altho I do outsource a lot of my domestic chores to free up time to write. I can only justify that because my hourly rate is much greater than my cleaners, gardeners etc.
Do I have any advice? Yes. If you are serious, you need to be serious about it. Accept that you’re not going to get vast oceans of time to write. But settle on a minimum amount of time. It might only be an hour a day. And block it out. Nothing should interfere with that time. And if that means the kid watches TV, or takes a nap they dont really want, so be it.
Your other question is more problematic. So much so that I feel I should deal with it as a stand alone topic. But in the short term if you want feedback, you need to seek it out. There are lots of writers groups around. Some great. Some not so much. They’re a good start. But as I said, I might deal with that question on its own. Perhaps this friday.
Interesting discussion. Unlike most of the people here i probably don’t have the right attitude towards writing. I have a job and Lantanaland, which takes up a lot of time and my current fitness/health kick and writing gets done in those “eureka” moments when the mood hits. Which has been fine, because i started the blog writing for pure enjoyment and nothing else. The increased focus of the food blog and how that ties into Lantanalands plans for the future has got me thinking that on top of my “mood takes me” writing i should be writing like i train, set times and days. Maybe i don’t put any of that stuff into the blogs, maybe i just use it as cannon fodder for disciplining my brain.
Yeah, the oceans of time thing. I’m not sure what it will take to get me writing again, but whatever it is will mostly have to deal with the time thing. I currently struggle to make time for reading, and that only works with accessible stuff that actively helps tuning out the outside world.
Hee, one day, one day. :)
Beeso, I discipline my brain with spurs & an electric shock cattel prod.
Apparantly there’s now a school of thought akin to the natural horseman methodologies, it’s called brain-whispering. The prospect concerns me.
can anybody tell me why e dont go underground and then still cultivate on top, perhaps not right over the dwelling. AND, why no NUKE POWER…sheez.
OH and if we are looking at something to JUMP start this new CITY, what about a military base for starters and maybe we should also thing about a big arse rifle range, make it comenweath land so the usual stupid gummit ( state) restrictions ont apply as well.
I like NT somewhere, perhaps within a short distance of the ril line, then gain, out that way further..broome etc we have masive exports, so perhaps out there as well. If we Nuke sydney we could start gain somewhere else…just a thought
ooops..got brain fade today..wrong thread..thts a geek one i guess. HSIT SHIT SHIT
The GREEN PILLS! Havock. Not the FRIGGIN PINK ONE”S!
Nup. Confusion of that nature generally entails female hormones.
Check the small print on the box, Hav. I think you’ve taken something belonging to The Cook.
*crickets*
Thanks for the fantastic reply. You’ve given me a lot to think about, like perhaps I shouldn’t beat myself up for not finding more time to write.
I’m OK with writing essays for uni. Hubs keeps the sprogs from the door for an hour or two at a time. However the sheer amount of interuptions and practical thinking has shuffled any capacity for fiction right to the back of the brain’s filing cabinet and out of reach of my conscious mind.
I’m looking forward to what you may have for us on Fridays.
He doesn’t love us anymore, NwBob. OH, and BTW I share your cynicism about how TF you run into a bloody great boat in calm waters off moreton Bay. Am just not sure that the NT will print what I had to say on the matter. I suspect I’m being censored/and or chastised for my comments on what I think a publicist is capable of.
I noticed that in WW you kept physical descriptions of the characters to a minimum…which was good because I didn’t necessarily need to be told. Can you give me some background on your reasoning for this? I get the shits with writers telling me ‘her hair was the colour of bottled honey’ before I even know who she is character-wise.
Any progress with improvements to the format at the NT?
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