I posted about a condition I like to call Writer's Blockade back in July of last year. I promised that I would make a later post about how I got around it over Father's Day weekend. Well, unfortunately, I cannot remember the specific scenario. But, there are some tools that you can use to break the blockade.
To recap, Writer's Block is when you have a lack of muse, an ennui, a lack of motivation, or some other similar internal issue that prevents you from writing. A terrible thing. Writer's Blockade is when you have an external issue that prevents you from writing, such as having a baby, working too long, a power outage. In general, Writer's Blockade does not last as long as Writer's Block can, but it can be more frustrating because you still have that drive to write. In some situations, however, Writer's Blockade could last for years.
In general, a short blockade is going to solve itself. If the power is out, it will eventually come back on, or you can go somewhere where there is power. These small problems have two solutions.
The first is perseverance. Do not stop trying to write, do not give in to the potential excuse. If your power is out, go to the library! If their power is out, grab some paper and write by hand starting from where you last remember!
The second is preparedness. Now you can't be prepared for everything. It's just not possible. But you can be prepared for likely scenarios, like a Boy Scout. If you write on the computer, back-up your work in more than one location. Keep it on your computer, on a cloud (I use drive.google), on an external hard drive, and on a thumb drive. Sure, it'll take a while to back up (remember to do so periodically), but if your computer ever crashes (or is stepped on by a toddler), your novel is still mostly intact. If you use a laptop, keep it more or less charged. Take simple steps to ensure that your work will not be lost and you will be able to work on it when you need to.
Working on a novel when you need to is another very important step, and is useful in overcoming both Writer's Block and Writer's Blockade. Set aside a time to write, at least 2 hours at once (to really get into the flow of things), as often as you can afford to. Set aside a place to write that is relatively free from distractions. This is getting harder and harder to do with the internet so readily available and sometimes essential to our writing processes. In some cases it will take discipline. It is best not to chose your bed (it can mess with your brain and sleep schedule if you work where you sleep), or where you normally work. It works even better if you are comfortable, but not too comfortable (you don't want to fall asleep). It should also be the same place or the same two places every time. Make a routine. Stick to that routine as often and as rigorously as you can. Leave your work and your home at your work and your home. Again, this is a very difficult task in today's world. If you are worried about work, either handle it quickly before you start (and don't touch or even think about it after you start), or try to wipe it from your mind. This is time for writing! Some techniques that work include writing down a list of things to do tomorrow, listening to your favorite music, or taking a moment to mull over the situation in your mind before letting it go. What works for one person may not work for another, so just keep trying. Finally, don't go into it with certain expectations in mind. This will put undue stress on your own creativity. Instead, keep an open mind. This is not to say that you should let your writing flow wherever it wills. But should your mind present an opportunity or an option you didn't see before, you should take a moment to entertain that option and see if it goes somewhere you like. (This is more appropriate for Writer's Block, but I feel it is part of the entire Writing Time experience).
I have a writing time every week that lasts between 3 and 4 hours in one big chunk. I go to a local coffee shop/ice cream place, and set up in the same general area in the shop each time. I invite some friends so we can encourage each other, though at times we are also distraction. However, I feel that the expectation they have that I will show up will keep me going and in the long run is helping me continue to write. I tend to choose the music that interests me at the moment (sometimes more distracting than others depending on how ADHD I'm feeling. For me, I need a certain level of distraction to keep myself focused). I first go online and deal with all the emails and junk that I didn't get to while watching Addy, and then I leave it all behind and delve into the writing. I keep an outline open at all times, but I have strayed from it on many occasions, so the outline is more of a guideline that I can return to when I need to. That is my regular writing schedule. Of course, I try to write at home as well, and I am still working on my routine for that, but it is coming along.
This little trick will not solve ALL Writer's Blockade problems. If I am too tired after running after Adelaide, I may not want to drink something with caffeine because it might keep me up half the night. There are some cases where you simply have to surrender to the Blockade and let it win that battle, but you can never let it win the war. You must attack it like you're a general, planning and strategizing to get that free time you need. No, you cannot "make" time, but you can steal it from other things in your life. There have been times when I spent the week staying up late to write because I knew (or at least hoped) that my wife would be home on the weekends and I'd get to sleep in on Saturday to make up for the loss. I've sometimes given up other interests of mine so that I will have more time to write. For example, I've all but stopped playing games of any sort, I do not read as often as I would like to, my cross-stitching has gone untouched for months (yes, I cross-stitch), and I haven't practiced the guitar since Christmas. Even a little bit of TV takes a large amount of time that can be spent writing.
Granted, the writing time you eek out of daily life is not long, so you will not get that leisurely 2-hour chunk that is so useful, that lets your mind really start to get creative. But if you write half an hour here and 15 minutes there, then go back when you have 2 hours to write and proof-read yourself, it works out fairly well. This is an exception to the rule that you should never edit while you write (which is a rule I think should be applied loosely. I believe everyone's writing style is different, and some require a certain level of active editing).
Finally, some people are simply too busy to write. This is the realm where serious sacrifices and choices must be made. How badly do you want to write? Is it worth giving up something else that is terribly important for you to have a chance to write? If the answer is no, do not despair! Never stop thinking, jotting down ideas, and working through plots. Never stop dreaming. You are a writer at heart, and perhaps you do not have the time now, but you may have the time later, be it in a month, a year, or several decades. Eventually, you will work around that block, just as long as you keep trying to.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
The 3 Laws
Anyone who is a sci-fi lover knows about Isaac Asimov's 3 Laws of Robotics. These three laws are as follows:
1) A robot cannot take the life of a human, or through inaction cause a human to die.
2) A robot must obey all orders given to it by humans, except when those orders violate the first law.
3) A robot must preserve itself, except when doing so violates the first two laws.
There are many, many flaws in these laws. What if I was a less-than-scrupulous person who told a robot that wasn't mine that it now belongs to me and must follow all of my orders and only my orders? Robot theft/slavery would be rampant. What if I didn't like someone, so I told their robot to kill itself? Easy way to have revenge. What if I attacked the robot's owner and told the robot that if it does anything, I'll kill its owner? The robot would probably have a meltdown as it bounced between laws and tried to interpret them.
Most of these issues can be solved with some simple bi-laws, things such as "A robot must obey all orders given to it by its owner or any confirmed law enforcement officer..." and, "A robot cannot take the life of a human, or through inaction cause a human to die, unless doing so would save at least as many humans as would die or be killed." And, of course, this has other problems, as we see in the movie "I, Robot." In this film, a sentient A.I. of vast intelligence decides that the best way to save humanity is to enslave all of humanity, preventing them from killing each other. And in the anime Casshan: Robot Hunter, we learn that the "evil" robots which were programmed to save planet Earth did so by killing all humans, the things causing Earth's destruction. It is feasible a robot would murder everyone it deemed capable or likely to kill another human, would would eliminate everyone in the military, every police officer, every spy, every world leader, etc. not to mention every violent criminal. It would take just one glitch to cause havoc. This is why it was decided that if these laws ever came to be, there would be a 0th Law (similar to the 0th Law of Thermodynamics).
0) A robot cannot harm humanity, or by inaction cause humanity to come to harm.
This would, of course, also change the other laws so that it would take precedence over them. But still, this offers many flaws that can be exploited. The most major flaw of all is the purpose of robotics. In today's world, robots are usually used in industry, to do work humans do not wish to do, and these laws are perfect if robots continue to do such work, and such work alone, in perpetuity. But we've already started to enter the realm of drone warfare
. If we want robots to take the place of our men and women on the front lines, they had better be willing to kill humans, otherwise the first human that steps on the field wins by default. They had better be programmed to not listen to the orders of anyone other than their superiors, or they'll just be told to kill themselves by their enemies. And they had better not think of "humanity" in the same way as the other side does, or they'll simply freeze in combat. If we want robots to gain the rights and freedoms of humans (an idea played around with in many stories, including Bicentennial Man, Star Trek, Blade Runner, Metropolis, and countless more), then we would need to give them the same abilities as us, even if those abilities include breaking the law.
Obviously, the Three Laws of Robotics are not meant as an actual, universal working model. They can be used as a guideline, or used as a plot device in a story. In truth, Asimov was a writer and a biochemist, not a roboticist or a computer programmer. He was more interested in the story, and as a writer, so should you be. These laws can be played around with, or they can be taken as is and brought to their various logical conclusions.
I, for one, have come up with an interesting new set of laws. Behold, the Three Laws ofRobotics Americans!
1) An American has the right to live and cannot take that right from any other American.
2) An American has the right to liberty, freedom, and choice, provided exercising such rights do not impinge on any other American's right to life or right to liberty.
3) An American has the right to pursue happiness, provided doing so does not violate any other American's rights to life, liberty, or to pursue happiness.
Violating any of these rights will strip you of all rights of the same rank and below.
What do you think? Plot-worthy?
1) A robot cannot take the life of a human, or through inaction cause a human to die.
2) A robot must obey all orders given to it by humans, except when those orders violate the first law.
3) A robot must preserve itself, except when doing so violates the first two laws.
There are many, many flaws in these laws. What if I was a less-than-scrupulous person who told a robot that wasn't mine that it now belongs to me and must follow all of my orders and only my orders? Robot theft/slavery would be rampant. What if I didn't like someone, so I told their robot to kill itself? Easy way to have revenge. What if I attacked the robot's owner and told the robot that if it does anything, I'll kill its owner? The robot would probably have a meltdown as it bounced between laws and tried to interpret them.
Most of these issues can be solved with some simple bi-laws, things such as "A robot must obey all orders given to it by its owner or any confirmed law enforcement officer..." and, "A robot cannot take the life of a human, or through inaction cause a human to die, unless doing so would save at least as many humans as would die or be killed." And, of course, this has other problems, as we see in the movie "I, Robot." In this film, a sentient A.I. of vast intelligence decides that the best way to save humanity is to enslave all of humanity, preventing them from killing each other. And in the anime Casshan: Robot Hunter, we learn that the "evil" robots which were programmed to save planet Earth did so by killing all humans, the things causing Earth's destruction. It is feasible a robot would murder everyone it deemed capable or likely to kill another human, would would eliminate everyone in the military, every police officer, every spy, every world leader, etc. not to mention every violent criminal. It would take just one glitch to cause havoc. This is why it was decided that if these laws ever came to be, there would be a 0th Law (similar to the 0th Law of Thermodynamics).
0) A robot cannot harm humanity, or by inaction cause humanity to come to harm.
This would, of course, also change the other laws so that it would take precedence over them. But still, this offers many flaws that can be exploited. The most major flaw of all is the purpose of robotics. In today's world, robots are usually used in industry, to do work humans do not wish to do, and these laws are perfect if robots continue to do such work, and such work alone, in perpetuity. But we've already started to enter the realm of drone warfare
. If we want robots to take the place of our men and women on the front lines, they had better be willing to kill humans, otherwise the first human that steps on the field wins by default. They had better be programmed to not listen to the orders of anyone other than their superiors, or they'll just be told to kill themselves by their enemies. And they had better not think of "humanity" in the same way as the other side does, or they'll simply freeze in combat. If we want robots to gain the rights and freedoms of humans (an idea played around with in many stories, including Bicentennial Man, Star Trek, Blade Runner, Metropolis, and countless more), then we would need to give them the same abilities as us, even if those abilities include breaking the law.
Obviously, the Three Laws of Robotics are not meant as an actual, universal working model. They can be used as a guideline, or used as a plot device in a story. In truth, Asimov was a writer and a biochemist, not a roboticist or a computer programmer. He was more interested in the story, and as a writer, so should you be. These laws can be played around with, or they can be taken as is and brought to their various logical conclusions.
I, for one, have come up with an interesting new set of laws. Behold, the Three Laws of
1) An American has the right to live and cannot take that right from any other American.
2) An American has the right to liberty, freedom, and choice, provided exercising such rights do not impinge on any other American's right to life or right to liberty.
3) An American has the right to pursue happiness, provided doing so does not violate any other American's rights to life, liberty, or to pursue happiness.
Violating any of these rights will strip you of all rights of the same rank and below.
What do you think? Plot-worthy?
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Peter S Beagle
I've been a fan of Peter S Beagle ever since I was a kid, but I didn't realize how amazing he was until I got older and stared to look into his biography. He is known for only a few things, such as The Last Unicorn and a certain quote about dreams. However, he has done so much more!
Mr. Beagle is also known for being an expert in everything Tolkien and indeed wrote the screenplay for the 1978 animation of The Lord of the Rings. Because of this, he was invited to take part in something called Mythmoot, a sort of scholarly discussion/class of The Hobbit right after a screening of the new film. I was, unfortunately, unable to attend this event. My sister, however, did.
Yes, I am jealous and wish that I was able to go, but it was simply not in the cards this year. Perhaps next year I can go for the second film. I feel, however, one step closer to the world of writers. When Christmas rolled around, my sister gave me a copy of Mr. Beagle's newest work, Sleight of Hand, a collection of short stories. But the best part was the message inside it.
"To Spencer-
Send the damn stories out!
And if they get sent back,
send them out again!
-Peter S Beagle"
Now I am stoked! One of my childhood idols has written me a personal message to get my ass in gear! I will certainly be redoubling my efforts to complete this novel as fast as I can so that I can work on my many other story ideas!
Mr. Beagle is also known for being an expert in everything Tolkien and indeed wrote the screenplay for the 1978 animation of The Lord of the Rings. Because of this, he was invited to take part in something called Mythmoot, a sort of scholarly discussion/class of The Hobbit right after a screening of the new film. I was, unfortunately, unable to attend this event. My sister, however, did.
Yes, I am jealous and wish that I was able to go, but it was simply not in the cards this year. Perhaps next year I can go for the second film. I feel, however, one step closer to the world of writers. When Christmas rolled around, my sister gave me a copy of Mr. Beagle's newest work, Sleight of Hand, a collection of short stories. But the best part was the message inside it.
"To Spencer-
Send the damn stories out!
And if they get sent back,
send them out again!
-Peter S Beagle"
Now I am stoked! One of my childhood idols has written me a personal message to get my ass in gear! I will certainly be redoubling my efforts to complete this novel as fast as I can so that I can work on my many other story ideas!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Christmas Songs That Should Not Be
This Christmas season, my wife and I have been listening to the radio more often than we usually do. For some reason, we aren't using Pandora as much, and we haven't dug out all the Christmas CDs. Because of this, I've been hearing a lot more of the "popular" songs that the radio plays. Granted, some of them are quite lovely; I thoroughly enjoy anything with Josh Groban or Michael Buble. But there are some Christmas songs that I simply cannot stand, for one reason or another. And here they are.
4) Blue Christmas - The Elvis version.
Now, I am sure a lot of you love this song, and love Elvis. He does, I admit, have a good voice, and the song has nothing bad in it lyrics-wise. This is a personal choice. I do not like this song because of ONE of his background singers. She has this little climbing arpeggiated chord, but when she hits the top note she's slightly off. Just slightly. And it bugs the ever-living goodness out of me. All other versions of this song do not have that singer, and so I have no problems with them.
3) Do They Know It's Christmas
This song is on the list despite its good intentions and noble background. It was written in 1984 for "Band Aid," a group dedicated to ending the hunger in Ethopia. How could something like this possibly be bad? Well, for starters, it is condescending. It is also full of errors. "There won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time" is one of the lines. First of all... yes, there will. It DOES snow in Africa. Plus, what does snow have to do with Christmas? The singer tries to make a point that they don't know it's Christmas because they do't have snow, jingle bells, and that "nothing ever grows" there, another fallacy. If you know anything about how third-world countries work, the first thing you learn is that it is the governments, not the planet, that is preventing people from getting food. And this all really has nothing to do with Christmas, and more to do with some European idealistic Yuletide celebration. Christmas is actually about the birth of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the Africans who aren't part of our "world of plenty" understand Christmas far better than we do because they aren't distracted by all the worldly goods we are.
2) Santa Baby
Let me get this right... you are trying to seduce St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, so that he will give you more material possessions? Oh yes, that's a song I want my child hearing. Someone could make the argument that this is all in sarcasm, but when you hear different versions, all of them have some highly attractive and over-sexed woman using her most seductive tone possible with no hint of sarcasm. And she's asking for the most stereotypical things possible, such as diamonds and money. Not only does this song insult Christmas and Santa Clause, but it demeans women.
1) Baby It's Cold Outside
AKA: The Christmas Rape song. Let's examine the lyrics. It starts out with the woman saying she really has to get going and that her mom is going to worry. She moves on to excuses to get away... such as the neighbors might see. All the while, the male singer is calling her things like "baby" and "beautiful" (which can so easily be seen as a college kid trying to get the girl he just met into bed but doesn't remember or know her name). At some point the girl says she thinks there's something in the drink, and it apparently puts a "spell" on her which makes her not able to say "no." Sounds like the date rape drug to me. It continues with her making more attempts to get away and the guy just fawning over her body and coming up with every terrible excuse in the book. The next time you hear the song, listen to the lyrics and imagine the guy is actually a sexual predator. Not that far fetched.
So, please, stop playing these songs, DJs. They are terrible and should not exist. Instead... why not focus on some of the lesser known but beautiful songs of Christmas? Let's give Christmas back its meaning.
4) Blue Christmas - The Elvis version.
Now, I am sure a lot of you love this song, and love Elvis. He does, I admit, have a good voice, and the song has nothing bad in it lyrics-wise. This is a personal choice. I do not like this song because of ONE of his background singers. She has this little climbing arpeggiated chord, but when she hits the top note she's slightly off. Just slightly. And it bugs the ever-living goodness out of me. All other versions of this song do not have that singer, and so I have no problems with them.
3) Do They Know It's Christmas
This song is on the list despite its good intentions and noble background. It was written in 1984 for "Band Aid," a group dedicated to ending the hunger in Ethopia. How could something like this possibly be bad? Well, for starters, it is condescending. It is also full of errors. "There won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time" is one of the lines. First of all... yes, there will. It DOES snow in Africa. Plus, what does snow have to do with Christmas? The singer tries to make a point that they don't know it's Christmas because they do't have snow, jingle bells, and that "nothing ever grows" there, another fallacy. If you know anything about how third-world countries work, the first thing you learn is that it is the governments, not the planet, that is preventing people from getting food. And this all really has nothing to do with Christmas, and more to do with some European idealistic Yuletide celebration. Christmas is actually about the birth of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the Africans who aren't part of our "world of plenty" understand Christmas far better than we do because they aren't distracted by all the worldly goods we are.
2) Santa Baby
Let me get this right... you are trying to seduce St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, so that he will give you more material possessions? Oh yes, that's a song I want my child hearing. Someone could make the argument that this is all in sarcasm, but when you hear different versions, all of them have some highly attractive and over-sexed woman using her most seductive tone possible with no hint of sarcasm. And she's asking for the most stereotypical things possible, such as diamonds and money. Not only does this song insult Christmas and Santa Clause, but it demeans women.
1) Baby It's Cold Outside
AKA: The Christmas Rape song. Let's examine the lyrics. It starts out with the woman saying she really has to get going and that her mom is going to worry. She moves on to excuses to get away... such as the neighbors might see. All the while, the male singer is calling her things like "baby" and "beautiful" (which can so easily be seen as a college kid trying to get the girl he just met into bed but doesn't remember or know her name). At some point the girl says she thinks there's something in the drink, and it apparently puts a "spell" on her which makes her not able to say "no." Sounds like the date rape drug to me. It continues with her making more attempts to get away and the guy just fawning over her body and coming up with every terrible excuse in the book. The next time you hear the song, listen to the lyrics and imagine the guy is actually a sexual predator. Not that far fetched.
So, please, stop playing these songs, DJs. They are terrible and should not exist. Instead... why not focus on some of the lesser known but beautiful songs of Christmas? Let's give Christmas back its meaning.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Kick the tires?
Oh, hey there.
I didn't see you. Probably
because I'm writing this long before you'll ever read it on a computer miles
away from you, but that's just splitting hairs. I know it is has been a while since I've updated, but don't
worry; it was time well spent.
I've been acting as a stay-at-home dad and getting into it a little
better, I've been writing my novel in my spare time, improving my guitar
playing, brewing excellent beers, and going on dates with my wife. Something had to give. I decided to focus on my novel before I
continued the Murphy's Law Story.
I will get back to it, for all five or so of my readers. I'm sure I count for at least 2 of
them.
I find myself getting jealous over my friends, though I
really shouldn't be. I have many
friends who either have become published (and not just online or in ebooks), or
are about to be published. I
SHOULD take this as an incentive to continue writing and as hope that I, too,
may actually get published someday soon.
Instead, I tend to think, "Why them? Why not me?"
Yes, I have an English degree, and most of my published friends
don't. 2 of them, however, do. Somehow, it is the other friends that
make me more jealous, almost as if you aren't deserving of authorship unless
you earned an English degree. I
know this is not true, but it is hard to suppress feelings like this, which
circumvent logic. And when I think
of my English degree friends, I tend to find myself looking at my writing in a
self-deprecating fashion. If their
amazing work is what it takes, what chance do I have? Again, no logic involved here. Hopefully I will get over this petty jealousy and use it to
kick me into high gear.
At the moment, I am at about the 49k word mark in my
novel. I was hoping to finish it
by November 1st, but that is looking less and less likely. This Sunday, my wife and I are playing
the music at a celtic service at church.
I may have been playing guitar for 6 years, but I always think I suck at
that, too, so I will likely be spending every spare moment I have between now
and then working on the pieces we will be playing. Then there's Halloween to prepare for, the Nanowrimo party,
etc. etc .etc. So, since I will
not be finishing the rough draft in time, I will finish it by the end of Nano,
and start on the first revision!
After the first revision, I will be ready for some proof-readers. Hopefully this will be done by the time
Christmas rolls around, but we'll see.
Of course, after that, I need to look for publishers or agents, research
how to make it into an ebook, start some self-promotion and networking…. you
know, act like an author. Really,
an author is just a car salesman without a car. At least, in today's age it seems like that. "I see you've got your eye an a
2006 Urban Fantasy. Quite a good
body to this story, though when you first start it, it might be a little jumpy. Care to test it out, spin through a
chapter or two? What format do you
like? I prefer the Kindle Fire,
myself, but nothing beats a good-old vintage hard cover. Just look at that spine, steady as a
rock. So, whadaya say.. $9.99 for
the whole thing? I'll even make
you a deal and throw in a poem or two."
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Automaton
This post has little to do with writing, but it does have to do with unbounded creativity.
Back in college I took a rather enjoyable sculpture class. This was when I didn't know what I wanted to major in yet, so I was taking everything I could to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I could rant and rave about the idiocy of the education system that does not give a rounded education to its youngsters, but that would be for another post. In this class of mine, we had something like 11 projects we had to do. The first one was simple, to make an object into something it wasn't, and I did an OK job at it. Not great, but OK. The second, however, required us to come up with a toy that moved. I made an airplane with a propeller that turned when the wheels did. I did very well on it. The third was the last project I did. I don't even remember what it was, because I didn't do what the professor asked. Instead, I started to make a a crank-work box. I designed it with 5 moving elements all relating to time, built every part of it (including making the gears by hand), and tested it until it worked almost perfectly. There was also another automaton box I made, a gift for my at-the-time girlfriend. These two projects not only counted for the other 9 assignments, but got me an A in the course. Here are a few examples of automata. I recommend checking out a few more videos; they can be quite impressive.
Ever since then, I have had a love of automata and woodworking. I even designed some complicated projects, but never got around to them. It has been some time since I thought about any of them. Today, I was drawing with my daughter and listening to "Rainbow Connection," from the Muppets. Suddenly I was inspired! I remember one of my old projects that involved Kermit sitting on top of a log with a banjo. A tape played the song, and attached to the motor of the tape player was a dowel that moved cams which controlled Kermit's mouth and arm, so that he sang and played in time to the music. One of the biggest flaws of this was, however, that the dowel and cams would add resistance, which would slow down the song and possibly break the tape player. Besides, who uses cassette tapes?
Now my idea is to make it a crank-work automaton. Attached to the main shaft are the cams, still controlling the arm and mouth, and on the other end is a disc - one part of a music box. The chime portion would be beneath, so that as you turn the crank you both play the song and make Kermit move! Another thought, if I can make it larger, would be to actually use banjo strings that are plucked on the inside. I hope I can remember these ideas in case someday (yeah right) I get a woodworking studio and have the time to work on these. Even though I likely will not get to do these things, I still love to come up with ideas like these. They keep me thinking, keep my mind creative. If I get stuck in part of my story, sometimes it is a good idea to switch things up and step back from it for a short while. Tell me what you all think.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Writer's Blockade
To most writers, Writer's Block is a real problem that pops up when you really don't want it around. It is generally accepted as a lack of Muse or inspiration, but can reveal itself in other ways (such as depression or anxiety). It can be anything from having difficulty finding what to say for a week to being unable to produce any new work for years. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Charles Schultz have both been victims of this dreaded condition. Almost every author has had some form of it at some point. Thankfully for me, Writer's Block has never posed much of a problem.
However, I have recently been experiencing what I would term Writer's Blockade. What is the difference, you ask? Think of it this way; if you are trying to get to your favorite writing spot, say a coffee shop, and it is closed, that is rather like writer's block. If, however, on the way there is a traffic accident, so you take a side route but get a flat tire on the poor road conditions, then hijack a young kid's bike only to run into a protest rally, which leads you to go against the flow on foot while trying to make your way to your goal until your ex shows up and her new fiance pummels you into the ground before you ever even make it TO the shop... THAT is Writer's Blockade. There's nothing wrong with your inspiration, your desire to write, your relationships, your emotions, or your health. Instead, the world has conspired against you. In short, Writer's Block is internal, Writer's Blockade is external.
An example of this would be having a baby. Now, I'm not talking about being so overcome with elation that you simply cannot put the feeling into words. It is the daily grind, the minutiae and incessant alertness, that stops the writing process. For me, I spend days getting up when Addy does (usually before or just after 7), doing laundry and dishes, feeding and clothing my little girl, changing her diapers (and more if she makes a mess), playing with her, fighting with her to take a nap, taking her outside to run around, putting up with the whininess when she gets tired or upset, running to stop her when she reaches for something deadly on the table, providing comfort when she falls and hits her head, swinging/twirling/dancing/chasing her (or perhaps pushing her while she's in her little Radio Flyer), getting out and putting away a variety of toys and projects for her, keeping her from pounding or pulling at or throwing my computer, bathing her, and finally putting her to sleep around 7 or 8. That is mommy and daddy time, and we usually spend it doing chores that didn't get completed or planning out the next day/week/month, though it is sometimes spent on small private dates (in the home, don't worry). Sometimes, I spend the whole day driving to town to take her somewhere or run errands, getting back just in time to put her to sleep. When we're done with our alone time, Amy heads to bed and I get time to write... but by that point I am exhausted and unable to put coherent thoughts together. There's none of that idealistic "you have to make time" garbage. The choices are write or sleep. Foregoing my stay-at-home-dad duties to indulge myself is not an option. I usually try to write at night, but you can only hold off sleep so long before it makes the choice for you. Don't forget, the less time you spend sleeping, the more exhausted you will be the next day. On average, I would say I fall asleep around 11 or midnight, then wake up on the couch and crawl to bed around 1 or 2.
I've had a very hard time trying to get past a single scene in my novel, though it is an important one. But the entire novel is planned, outlined. I know what is going to happen next, and I still have an intense desire and inspiration to write the story. I think that part of what made this scene so difficult to write was that I could only get through half a paragraph at a time. Getting back into the right frame of mind after a long day takes some time as well, so that limits how much writing I could do on top of things. I knew I wasn't really having Writer's Block, or even Writer's Ennui (a common-enough example of Writer's Block that it really deserves its own recognition). But having difficulty with that scene made me doubt my ability to write and question how good my novel really is. Would my readers be able to get through that scene, or have I just set up a proverbial Rivendell? Would they be able to tell that I wrote it over the course of a hundred different sittings? Will that scene even be in the final draft of the novel? Should I be spending my time or more "productive" things?
In my case, it appeared that this blockade was not going to end anytime soon. If anything, it was compiling greater obstacles to throw at me for the future, and this may still be the case. From what my stay-at-home-mom friends tell me, you don't really get time to yourself until they start going to school, and that is a ways off for me (and further if we have another child). Thankfully, I was able to find a hole through the blockade last weekend. There really is a way around this debilitating condition, but it is not any easier than curing Writer's Block. In one weekend I wrote over 2500 words (which is astounding for me) while still managing to do all the chores, go to church, go on two dates with my wife, celebrate Father's Day, and care for my daughter. I am stoked. So, how did I get around the blockade? That is for another post.
However, I have recently been experiencing what I would term Writer's Blockade. What is the difference, you ask? Think of it this way; if you are trying to get to your favorite writing spot, say a coffee shop, and it is closed, that is rather like writer's block. If, however, on the way there is a traffic accident, so you take a side route but get a flat tire on the poor road conditions, then hijack a young kid's bike only to run into a protest rally, which leads you to go against the flow on foot while trying to make your way to your goal until your ex shows up and her new fiance pummels you into the ground before you ever even make it TO the shop... THAT is Writer's Blockade. There's nothing wrong with your inspiration, your desire to write, your relationships, your emotions, or your health. Instead, the world has conspired against you. In short, Writer's Block is internal, Writer's Blockade is external.
An example of this would be having a baby. Now, I'm not talking about being so overcome with elation that you simply cannot put the feeling into words. It is the daily grind, the minutiae and incessant alertness, that stops the writing process. For me, I spend days getting up when Addy does (usually before or just after 7), doing laundry and dishes, feeding and clothing my little girl, changing her diapers (and more if she makes a mess), playing with her, fighting with her to take a nap, taking her outside to run around, putting up with the whininess when she gets tired or upset, running to stop her when she reaches for something deadly on the table, providing comfort when she falls and hits her head, swinging/twirling/dancing/chasing her (or perhaps pushing her while she's in her little Radio Flyer), getting out and putting away a variety of toys and projects for her, keeping her from pounding or pulling at or throwing my computer, bathing her, and finally putting her to sleep around 7 or 8. That is mommy and daddy time, and we usually spend it doing chores that didn't get completed or planning out the next day/week/month, though it is sometimes spent on small private dates (in the home, don't worry). Sometimes, I spend the whole day driving to town to take her somewhere or run errands, getting back just in time to put her to sleep. When we're done with our alone time, Amy heads to bed and I get time to write... but by that point I am exhausted and unable to put coherent thoughts together. There's none of that idealistic "you have to make time" garbage. The choices are write or sleep. Foregoing my stay-at-home-dad duties to indulge myself is not an option. I usually try to write at night, but you can only hold off sleep so long before it makes the choice for you. Don't forget, the less time you spend sleeping, the more exhausted you will be the next day. On average, I would say I fall asleep around 11 or midnight, then wake up on the couch and crawl to bed around 1 or 2.
I've had a very hard time trying to get past a single scene in my novel, though it is an important one. But the entire novel is planned, outlined. I know what is going to happen next, and I still have an intense desire and inspiration to write the story. I think that part of what made this scene so difficult to write was that I could only get through half a paragraph at a time. Getting back into the right frame of mind after a long day takes some time as well, so that limits how much writing I could do on top of things. I knew I wasn't really having Writer's Block, or even Writer's Ennui (a common-enough example of Writer's Block that it really deserves its own recognition). But having difficulty with that scene made me doubt my ability to write and question how good my novel really is. Would my readers be able to get through that scene, or have I just set up a proverbial Rivendell? Would they be able to tell that I wrote it over the course of a hundred different sittings? Will that scene even be in the final draft of the novel? Should I be spending my time or more "productive" things?
In my case, it appeared that this blockade was not going to end anytime soon. If anything, it was compiling greater obstacles to throw at me for the future, and this may still be the case. From what my stay-at-home-mom friends tell me, you don't really get time to yourself until they start going to school, and that is a ways off for me (and further if we have another child). Thankfully, I was able to find a hole through the blockade last weekend. There really is a way around this debilitating condition, but it is not any easier than curing Writer's Block. In one weekend I wrote over 2500 words (which is astounding for me) while still managing to do all the chores, go to church, go on two dates with my wife, celebrate Father's Day, and care for my daughter. I am stoked. So, how did I get around the blockade? That is for another post.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Ads
Any one know how to make a specific ad not appear on my blog? If you see the ad saying to vote no to gay marriage, please ignore it. Vote yes on it, please. I'm not a bigot.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Anti-Choice Male
Ah, Facebook. Too often you are a forum for politics and ideologies to be slung blindly at others, with no real outcome one way or the other. I am usually not one to put much emotional stake in these posts, which happen far too frequently on my facebook. You see, my friends cover the full political and ideological spectrum, from extreme conservative to extreme liberal, atheist to right-wing Christian to Muslim to Jew to liberal Christian. I am rather open-minded about such matters; I have my faith and beliefs, and you have yours. I won't impose mine, you don't impost yours, we'll get along just fine. Unfortunately, an old college friend of mine made a post that I felt I needed to comment on for some reason, and now I regret it. I've been so upset over the posts that I can't even seem to function normally. As a writer, this post is my therapy. I am not interested in getting in "the last word," and I am not going to be arguing for my standpoint. This is not a discussion, and to prevent this I have disabled comments. That being said, I do hope the friend in question reads this all the way through.
The post in question was a remark against Republicans, of which I am not. To keep a long post manageable, let me say that the discussion which followed quickly became one about pro-choice vs. pro-life. I am pro-life; I have no qualms about letting people know this. This does not mean I'm a weirdo, that I'm going to go kill some doctors or march in the streets with a mutilated doll on a crucifix. I believe that, if you look at the evidence, one has to come up with the realization that abortion is indeed murder. I understand that not everyone thinks this way, and my friend, let's call her Mary, is one of those people. This is fine; my wife is pro-choice. But, until someone actually comes to me with an argument that holds water, I will remain adamantly pro-life.
I very quickly realized that our discussion was going nowhere. And the longer it continued, the more upset I was becoming over it. For a while I wondered what it was about this debate that got to me so much more than others. I've heard all the arguments before, who hasn't? After a while, however, I realized what it was that bugged me so much. It wasn't the debate over being pro-life and pro-choice, it was actually that Mary had casually insulted me, as if it was a normal thing to do and without provocation. She called me "anti-choice," as if I'm some backwards misogynist trying to keep women in the kitchen. I'm a stay-at-home dad. I believe that we should be able to make whatever choices we like, provided those choices don't hinder someone else's basic rights (one of the reasons I'm not Republican or Democrat). I am not anti-choice, I am pro-life. I don't go around calling people pro-death, or anti-life. I still do not know why she felt the need to just fling an insult at me - I thought we were better friends than that! Besides, to someone who is truly pro-life, an abortion takes away someone else's basic rights, the right to choose, to pursue happiness, to be free, to live.
That being said, I think I could have gotten over a minor insult like that, had it not been for the next. Mary, in different words, said that I had no right to choose to be pro-life because I am a male and have not been/never will be pregnant. THAT hurts, and for many reasons. 1) if you're pro-choice, then you need to respect that I can make decisions too. 2) I'm not stupid, uneducated, uninformed, or cruel. I know I cannot be pregnant, but I was there every step of the way during my wife's pregnancy and natural birth. 3) That statement has no purpose in a debate like this. It is not about pregnancy, but about life. 4) If the fact that I am male prevents me from arguing this with you, then pretend I'm a female and continue. Trust me, there are female pro-lifers. Being a woman does not automatically make you pro-choice. 5) The things that go on during pregnancy involve a lot of hormones and emotions (I am not saying women are entirely hormonal and emotional, this is just the truth. It is how their bodies and minds work to cope with the changes that they have to undergo). Saying I can't argue with you because I've never experienced these things is hiding behind them and insulting women EVERYWHERE. 6) The statement is inherently sexist. So what if I'm a male?! I'm also your friend, I have a pretty strong imagination, understanding, and sense of logic, and I care as much for equal rights and treatment as anyone. The last thing I expected to hear from my friend Mary, a very strong, smart, caring, and concerned woman and mother (who also strongly believes in equality) was a sexist statement like that one! How do I even begin to defend the fact that I am a man?
Now, I do not ask for any kind of apology or a continuation of any sort of debate. I'm not even asking that we maintain or dissolve our friendship. As I stated earlier, the purpose of this post is therapeutic. It is simply getting my thoughts out there. I hope that I did not insult my friend either now or during the debate in an way. All I simply ask is that, even if we are debating something, we treat each other with respect. And this does not just go for me and my friend, but for everyone. We should all try to treat each other with respect, especially while we're debating things. Otherwise, the debate gets lost and friends turn on each other. Perhaps we all just need to take facebook a little less seriously and stop using it as a personal soapbox.
The post in question was a remark against Republicans, of which I am not. To keep a long post manageable, let me say that the discussion which followed quickly became one about pro-choice vs. pro-life. I am pro-life; I have no qualms about letting people know this. This does not mean I'm a weirdo, that I'm going to go kill some doctors or march in the streets with a mutilated doll on a crucifix. I believe that, if you look at the evidence, one has to come up with the realization that abortion is indeed murder. I understand that not everyone thinks this way, and my friend, let's call her Mary, is one of those people. This is fine; my wife is pro-choice. But, until someone actually comes to me with an argument that holds water, I will remain adamantly pro-life.
I very quickly realized that our discussion was going nowhere. And the longer it continued, the more upset I was becoming over it. For a while I wondered what it was about this debate that got to me so much more than others. I've heard all the arguments before, who hasn't? After a while, however, I realized what it was that bugged me so much. It wasn't the debate over being pro-life and pro-choice, it was actually that Mary had casually insulted me, as if it was a normal thing to do and without provocation. She called me "anti-choice," as if I'm some backwards misogynist trying to keep women in the kitchen. I'm a stay-at-home dad. I believe that we should be able to make whatever choices we like, provided those choices don't hinder someone else's basic rights (one of the reasons I'm not Republican or Democrat). I am not anti-choice, I am pro-life. I don't go around calling people pro-death, or anti-life. I still do not know why she felt the need to just fling an insult at me - I thought we were better friends than that! Besides, to someone who is truly pro-life, an abortion takes away someone else's basic rights, the right to choose, to pursue happiness, to be free, to live.
That being said, I think I could have gotten over a minor insult like that, had it not been for the next. Mary, in different words, said that I had no right to choose to be pro-life because I am a male and have not been/never will be pregnant. THAT hurts, and for many reasons. 1) if you're pro-choice, then you need to respect that I can make decisions too. 2) I'm not stupid, uneducated, uninformed, or cruel. I know I cannot be pregnant, but I was there every step of the way during my wife's pregnancy and natural birth. 3) That statement has no purpose in a debate like this. It is not about pregnancy, but about life. 4) If the fact that I am male prevents me from arguing this with you, then pretend I'm a female and continue. Trust me, there are female pro-lifers. Being a woman does not automatically make you pro-choice. 5) The things that go on during pregnancy involve a lot of hormones and emotions (I am not saying women are entirely hormonal and emotional, this is just the truth. It is how their bodies and minds work to cope with the changes that they have to undergo). Saying I can't argue with you because I've never experienced these things is hiding behind them and insulting women EVERYWHERE. 6) The statement is inherently sexist. So what if I'm a male?! I'm also your friend, I have a pretty strong imagination, understanding, and sense of logic, and I care as much for equal rights and treatment as anyone. The last thing I expected to hear from my friend Mary, a very strong, smart, caring, and concerned woman and mother (who also strongly believes in equality) was a sexist statement like that one! How do I even begin to defend the fact that I am a man?
Now, I do not ask for any kind of apology or a continuation of any sort of debate. I'm not even asking that we maintain or dissolve our friendship. As I stated earlier, the purpose of this post is therapeutic. It is simply getting my thoughts out there. I hope that I did not insult my friend either now or during the debate in an way. All I simply ask is that, even if we are debating something, we treat each other with respect. And this does not just go for me and my friend, but for everyone. We should all try to treat each other with respect, especially while we're debating things. Otherwise, the debate gets lost and friends turn on each other. Perhaps we all just need to take facebook a little less seriously and stop using it as a personal soapbox.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
