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Sep. 19th, 2005
(no subject)
Sep. 19th, 2005 09:07 pmDarn it, everyone's posting favourite poems: when you see the meme you're supposed to post one. Hand over my eyes, I've tried to ignore it all day. All right, you win.
may i feel said he
e e cummings
may i feel said he
(i'll squeal said she
just once said he)
it's fun said she
(may i touch said he
how much said she
a lot said he)
why not said she
(let's go said he
not too far said she
what's too far said he
where you are said she)
may i stay said he
(which way said she
like this said he
if you kiss said she
may i move said he
is it love said she)
if you're willing said he
(but you're killing said she
but it's life said he
but your wife said she
now said he)
ow said she
(tiptop said he
don't stop said she
oh no said he)
go slow said she
(cccome?said he
ummm said she)
you're divine!said he
(you are Mine said she)
may i feel said he
e e cummings
may i feel said he
(i'll squeal said she
just once said he)
it's fun said she
(may i touch said he
how much said she
a lot said he)
why not said she
(let's go said he
not too far said she
what's too far said he
where you are said she)
may i stay said he
(which way said she
like this said he
if you kiss said she
may i move said he
is it love said she)
if you're willing said he
(but you're killing said she
but it's life said he
but your wife said she
now said he)
ow said she
(tiptop said he
don't stop said she
oh no said he)
go slow said she
(cccome?said he
ummm said she)
you're divine!said he
(you are Mine said she)
(no subject)
Sep. 19th, 2005 11:09 pmI don't believe in writer's block technically. I believe that the phrase "writer's block" covers a variety of different--and more specific--obstacles that cause one to struggle with writing. The primary versions of writer's block are:
- Distraction. One has RL problems that drain away energy for writing, leaving one's fics high and dry.
Cure: shift your focus for a while on just what's fun for you. Also, use notebooks. Scribble the ideas for fics as they arise for later use, don't try to squeeze them out now.
- Low confidence or the "I suck" syndrome, which saps creative energy by causing one to over-think stories, judging them harshly as they struggle to survive under the hot blaze of self-criticism. Often the result of internalized harsh criticism from elsewhere.
Cure: listen to feedback from someone other than yourself - a trusted beta perhaps? - because right now you can't be fair.
- Creative exhaustion, or the "blood from a stone" syndrome. Often afflicts those who write for their jobs; they've nothing left for their fiction no matter how hard they squeeze.
Cure: write short pieces, drabbles. Shift your focus to what's fun for you.
- Creative low tide. Creativity comes in waves: there are high tides and low tides. Low tide is especially frustrating after a busy period.
Cure: keep writing, don't push yourself, just write what's there. If your output's down for a while that's okay. Or if you need to produce, try the Nanowrimo method -- just give yourself a word count goal daily, nevermind quality. You'll be surprised at what comes out.
- Plateaus. You've been doing the same thing forever and you know you're in a rut, haven't gotten out of it and yet can't get excited about fics.
Cure: challenges. Join one. Or issue one in your LJ.
- Steep slopes. You're trying something new and of course it's harder than what you've written a million times before (this often leads to "I suck" syndrome).
Cure: honest feedback/handholding from a trusted beta. Also, go deeper into what you're writing, surround yourself with it. Research related material when you have time (writing war-fic? Research weapons), keep your notebook or whatever you use handy for new ideas. Watch related movies. The more absorbed you are in your new project the less time you have to compare it to what comes easy.
- The rusty hinge. You haven't written in a while for one reason or another, and yet think that you're going to leap in and be just as good as that moment you polished the last two lines of your novel.
Cure: write what's there and move on; just go for volume until you've loosened up a bit. An athelete has to stretch first - so do you. I recommend challenges again, because you can always convince yourself it was awkward because of the Dobby/Filch pairing, and they do make you stretch. What you want to avoid is comparing your current writing to your old writing. No matter what, you've changed so your writing will have changed.
- Force feeding. Your creative ideas are going left, but what you've promised or have to do is in the opposite direction, or worse, something you hate. This can stall both what have to do and what you want to do.
Cure: this one's new to me, I'm in the middle of it now, and I have no cure at present.
There are more, I'm sure.
Usually several of these hit at the same time leading to a predictable slow-down or halt in one's writing. In my case I've been working on the Beg Me For It soundtrack because I had RL issues, creative exhaustion from writing for my job this summer, the "I suck" syndrome stemming from some harsh criticism, then force feeding and pressure to finish one story alongside more criticism about my writing choices that stalled the Percy/Snape and Lucius Gen I was working on. This all hit in the same two-week period.
I haven't been able to write for nearly a month. I ran into my critic the other day. He looked really guilty and scurried. Uhn-hunh. People who know they were fair and reasonable don't scurry.
So I'm attempting a cure: just write what I enjoy and what comes easily to hand.
( Here comes the Percy angst. )
- Distraction. One has RL problems that drain away energy for writing, leaving one's fics high and dry.
Cure: shift your focus for a while on just what's fun for you. Also, use notebooks. Scribble the ideas for fics as they arise for later use, don't try to squeeze them out now.
- Low confidence or the "I suck" syndrome, which saps creative energy by causing one to over-think stories, judging them harshly as they struggle to survive under the hot blaze of self-criticism. Often the result of internalized harsh criticism from elsewhere.
Cure: listen to feedback from someone other than yourself - a trusted beta perhaps? - because right now you can't be fair.
- Creative exhaustion, or the "blood from a stone" syndrome. Often afflicts those who write for their jobs; they've nothing left for their fiction no matter how hard they squeeze.
Cure: write short pieces, drabbles. Shift your focus to what's fun for you.
- Creative low tide. Creativity comes in waves: there are high tides and low tides. Low tide is especially frustrating after a busy period.
Cure: keep writing, don't push yourself, just write what's there. If your output's down for a while that's okay. Or if you need to produce, try the Nanowrimo method -- just give yourself a word count goal daily, nevermind quality. You'll be surprised at what comes out.
- Plateaus. You've been doing the same thing forever and you know you're in a rut, haven't gotten out of it and yet can't get excited about fics.
Cure: challenges. Join one. Or issue one in your LJ.
- Steep slopes. You're trying something new and of course it's harder than what you've written a million times before (this often leads to "I suck" syndrome).
Cure: honest feedback/handholding from a trusted beta. Also, go deeper into what you're writing, surround yourself with it. Research related material when you have time (writing war-fic? Research weapons), keep your notebook or whatever you use handy for new ideas. Watch related movies. The more absorbed you are in your new project the less time you have to compare it to what comes easy.
- The rusty hinge. You haven't written in a while for one reason or another, and yet think that you're going to leap in and be just as good as that moment you polished the last two lines of your novel.
Cure: write what's there and move on; just go for volume until you've loosened up a bit. An athelete has to stretch first - so do you. I recommend challenges again, because you can always convince yourself it was awkward because of the Dobby/Filch pairing, and they do make you stretch. What you want to avoid is comparing your current writing to your old writing. No matter what, you've changed so your writing will have changed.
- Force feeding. Your creative ideas are going left, but what you've promised or have to do is in the opposite direction, or worse, something you hate. This can stall both what have to do and what you want to do.
Cure: this one's new to me, I'm in the middle of it now, and I have no cure at present.
There are more, I'm sure.
Usually several of these hit at the same time leading to a predictable slow-down or halt in one's writing. In my case I've been working on the Beg Me For It soundtrack because I had RL issues, creative exhaustion from writing for my job this summer, the "I suck" syndrome stemming from some harsh criticism, then force feeding and pressure to finish one story alongside more criticism about my writing choices that stalled the Percy/Snape and Lucius Gen I was working on. This all hit in the same two-week period.
I haven't been able to write for nearly a month. I ran into my critic the other day. He looked really guilty and scurried. Uhn-hunh. People who know they were fair and reasonable don't scurry.
So I'm attempting a cure: just write what I enjoy and what comes easily to hand.
( Here comes the Percy angst. )
