Comments on: Writer’s Block… When The Muse Takes A Snooze http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/ Make yourself at home, this should be fun. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:32:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Denise A. Agnew http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4929 Denise A. Agnew Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:54:04 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4929 JSL, Nah, don't hide! Every reader here is valued. :) As I mentioned above, every perspective is going to be different based on individual experience. That goes for readers as well. :) I think you touched on many valuable points. Denise A. Agnew JSL,

Nah, don’t hide! Every reader here is valued. :) As I mentioned above, every perspective is going to be different based on individual experience. That goes for readers as well. :) I think you touched on many valuable points.

Denise A. Agnew

]]> By: Marissa Scott http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4928 Marissa Scott Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:16:56 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4928 (((JSL))) Not at all! I value each and every opinion that was posted. Every single one. You better not go and hide on me now, missy. I enjoy your company. :smile: (((JSL))) Not at all! I value each and every opinion that was posted. Every single one. You better not go and hide on me now, missy. I enjoy your company. :smile:

]]> By: JSL http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4927 JSL Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:09:03 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4927 Um... so I feel like maybe some of what I said was taken out of context. Or I got caught in the cross fire. Or something - so I'm going to hide behind azteclady as a fellow reader. :sad: Um… so I feel like maybe some of what I said was taken out of context. Or I got caught in the cross fire. Or something - so I’m going to hide behind azteclady as a fellow reader. :sad:

]]> By: Marissa Scott http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4923 Marissa Scott Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:10:17 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4923 <blockquote>*raising hand* Reader here.</blockquote> Hi Azteclady. So happy to have you here. A reader's perspective is always important. Thanks for sharing!

*raising hand* Reader here.

Hi Azteclady. So happy to have you here. A reader’s perspective is always important. Thanks for sharing!

]]> By: Megan http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4922 Megan Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:06:17 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4922 So true, Denise! What works for one person doesn't work for another. There is no "one true way." So true, Denise! What works for one person doesn’t work for another. There is no “one true way.”

]]> By: Marissa Scott http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4921 Marissa Scott Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:05:08 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4921 <blockquote>FWIW my last book WAS late—by five weeks. Why? Because I got sick and they spent four months trying to figure out what was wrong with me *sigh* (I think we actually chatted about it).</blockquote> Yes we did. Hugs! I'm glad you're feeling better. <blockquote>That said, I worry more about getting a bad rep for repeatedly turning books in late and blowing deadlines than I worry about being skewered by fans *hehe* Yes, I'm anal like that.</blockquote> Just one more way we are alike. Hee hee! :razz:

FWIW my last book WAS late—by five weeks. Why? Because I got sick and they spent four months trying to figure out what was wrong with me *sigh* (I think we actually chatted about it).

Yes we did. Hugs! I’m glad you’re feeling better.

That said, I worry more about getting a bad rep for repeatedly turning books in late and blowing deadlines than I worry about being skewered by fans *hehe*

Yes, I’m anal like that.

Just one more way we are alike. Hee hee! :razz:

]]> By: Denise A. Agnew http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4920 Denise A. Agnew Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:54:57 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4920 :wink: From someone who almost became totally blocked about a year ago, I have to say this is a highly intriguing conversation. Here's another take. :smile: Azteclady, I definitely think you're right. Fair isn't a guarantee. Authors are public personas. So how we are perceived by others is largely out of our control. My writer's block was only controlled, in a sense, by recognizing what was causing me to start to block. Now there is an apples and oranges comparison as well. Completing a deadline because you are waiting for a muse to strike isn't an option. I know plenty of writers who don't write because they're waiting for a muse to strike and like someone said, blank page equates to nothing. Having full blown screaming writer's block can occur when an author has some underlying situations (sometimes not all of them apparent to the author at the time) that can hit that author like a ton of bricks. Said author might find that writing is just impossible with a capitol I. Caput. Pushing through the writer's block can also result in further frustration if the issue that is causing the block is not dealt with. That's been my personal experience. For me, the block was destroyed when I examined why it was happening...pushing through it made it worse. What I think this subject illustrates is that just as there are a million different books out there, there are a million ways an author can react to the stresses within the writing world. It's a very complex issue that doesn't have one right answer. Denise A. Agnew :wink: From someone who almost became totally blocked about a year ago, I have to say this is a highly intriguing conversation. Here’s another take. :smile: Azteclady, I definitely think you’re right. Fair isn’t a guarantee. Authors are public personas. So how we are perceived by others is largely out of our control. My writer’s block was only controlled, in a sense, by recognizing what was causing me to start to block. Now there is an apples and oranges comparison as well. Completing a deadline because you are waiting for a muse to strike isn’t an option. I know plenty of writers who don’t write because they’re waiting for a muse to strike and like someone said, blank page equates to nothing. Having full blown screaming writer’s block can occur when an author has some underlying situations (sometimes not all of them apparent to the author at the time) that can hit that author like a ton of bricks. Said author might find that writing is just impossible with a capitol I. Caput. Pushing through the writer’s block can also result in further frustration if the issue that is causing the block is not dealt with. That’s been my personal experience. For me, the block was destroyed when I examined why it was happening…pushing through it made it worse. What I think this subject illustrates is that just as there are a million different books out there, there are a million ways an author can react to the stresses within the writing world. It’s a very complex issue that doesn’t have one right answer.

Denise A. Agnew

]]> By: Ann Aguirre http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4918 Ann Aguirre Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:31:48 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4918 Wow. Ditto everything Megan said. I've never had the pleasure to talk to her about this, but she articulated my feelings every step of the way. I am afraid of <i>lots</i> of things, but the fear only wins if I let it. Wow. Ditto everything Megan said. I’ve never had the pleasure to talk to her about this, but she articulated my feelings every step of the way.

I am afraid of lots of things, but the fear only wins if I let it.

]]> By: Megan http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4917 Megan Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:24:10 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4917 ...oh, I do think people all around should be nicer to each other, too. ;) M …oh, I do think people all around should be nicer to each other, too. ;)

M

]]> By: Megan http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/comment-page-1/#comment-4916 Megan Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:23:36 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/marissa/writers-block-when-the-muse-takes-a-snooze/#comment-4916 I don't have a muse. I wish I did. I wish the words would flow through me and out onto the page and it wouldn't be like pulling teeth every time I sit down to write. But it's not. :) That's just me, the way it works. Sometimes the words come, some times they do not. The thought of missing a deadline also makes me freak. I know things happen. I can absolutely see it happening -- if my children or spouse got ill. If I did. If something happened to prevent me from physically sitting down and writing and doing the work, yes, I can see it. I hope it never does, and NOT because of the deadline but because missing a deadline, to me, would mean something else so catastrophic had happened in my life, and I don't want anything that bad to happen. But missing it just because the words didn't come? Hmm. No. And I know fear. I face it every day. I fear I can't write another book. And yet...I do. I fear the words won't come and sometimes they are more difficult to release than others, but even when they're pouring out, I fear the next set won't be there when I want them. So some days I sit and stare at my computer for hours and other days I write until my fingers are numb. I feel for anyone who's blocked. I understand fear. But I don't understand anyone who lets fear stop them from fulfilling an obligation. If you takes the money, you does the work. If you have to give up tv, or sleep, or reading for pleasure or trips to the zoo, you do it. If you write shite until the words come and go back and fix them, you do it. You sit your butt in the chair and you write the words until you are done, and at the end you might have a good book or a really crappy one, but if you don't write it, you will never have a book at all. Crap can be fixed. Nothing can't. I'm making no comment on any other author in particular. I don't know Lisa Valdez's situation or any of yours. I'm commenting on my own perspective. I sit and I write and I do it to the deadline I've been given; I own the fact I screw off on the internet when I should be writing, and I give up things I love doing in order to work, if that's what it takes. I won't miss a deadline because of anything less than situations that physically prevent me from writing and I pray I never encounter one. I fear the words won't come but I sit there until they do, and I don't ever, ever take them for granted when they're there. My writing is a job. It is work. It is wonderful work, but it's not a hobby to me, and I count myself one of the luckiest people in the world to do what I love. M I don’t have a muse. I wish I did. I wish the words would flow through me and out onto the page and it wouldn’t be like pulling teeth every time I sit down to write. But it’s not. :) That’s just me, the way it works. Sometimes the words come, some times they do not.

The thought of missing a deadline also makes me freak. I know things happen. I can absolutely see it happening — if my children or spouse got ill. If I did. If something happened to prevent me from physically sitting down and writing and doing the work, yes, I can see it. I hope it never does, and NOT because of the deadline but because missing a deadline, to me, would mean something else so catastrophic had happened in my life, and I don’t want anything that bad to happen.

But missing it just because the words didn’t come? Hmm. No. And I know fear. I face it every day. I fear I can’t write another book. And yet…I do. I fear the words won’t come and sometimes they are more difficult to release than others, but even when they’re pouring out, I fear the next set won’t be there when I want them. So some days I sit and stare at my computer for hours and other days I write until my fingers are numb.

I feel for anyone who’s blocked. I understand fear. But I don’t understand anyone who lets fear stop them from fulfilling an obligation. If you takes the money, you does the work. If you have to give up tv, or sleep, or reading for pleasure or trips to the zoo, you do it. If you write shite until the words come and go back and fix them, you do it. You sit your butt in the chair and you write the words until you are done, and at the end you might have a good book or a really crappy one, but if you don’t write it, you will never have a book at all.

Crap can be fixed. Nothing can’t.

I’m making no comment on any other author in particular. I don’t know Lisa Valdez’s situation or any of yours. I’m commenting on my own perspective.

I sit and I write and I do it to the deadline I’ve been given; I own the fact I screw off on the internet when I should be writing, and I give up things I love doing in order to work, if that’s what it takes. I won’t miss a deadline because of anything less than situations that physically prevent me from writing and I pray I never encounter one. I fear the words won’t come but I sit there until they do, and I don’t ever, ever take them for granted when they’re there.

My writing is a job. It is work. It is wonderful work, but it’s not a hobby to me, and I count myself one of the luckiest people in the world to do what I love.

M

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