I would like to take this opportunity to present a response to a blog post titled “Endings Schmendings” by a dear friend and critique partner of mine, Diana at My Life in Writing. In her blog post, she describes how one of her critique partners is struggling to write the ending of her latest WIP. This particular partner of hers (though completely awesome and is absolutely HILARIOUS) has a bad Diet Pepsi habit, blogs a little too much, and has lost her creative edge (or mojo) when it comes to completing her nearly finished manuscript.
What Diana has failed to mention, is that while this particular critique partner of hers (again, super awesome) struggles to write the “perfect” ending, this critique partner does think about it ALL THE TIME—while showering, while twittering, while eating ice cream, right before falling asleep, and, yes, even while blogging.
The problem, the creative muse (if one believes in such things) has slipped away. The voices that lead, direct, and bring life to the written word, have vanished. Painfully, all she hears is silence.
Terrifying. Crippling. Silence.
*insert tumbleweed for dramatic effect*
And it scares her to be left on her own. She fears she’s just not creative enough without her fictional guides to well, guide her (see?).
Did this happen by her own doing? Probably. Did blogging get in the way? Most likely. Has Twitter become an evil pass time? Yes, yes, a million times yes.
BUT, regardless of her mismanagement of affairs, what really should be addressed is this: How do we help this poor soul to get her mojo back? Especially when, with only a click away, a writer can get sucked into twittering and blogging? (And please don’t suggest she unplug the internet—that’s just wrong).
Because isn’t THAT what’s most important—helping her to find her creative muse? Let’s not judge her for her excessive blogging and tweeting habits. Let’s not condemn her for drinking far too much Pepsi, which she knows is unhealthy and wrong, shall we?
Yes, she dug her hole, but why not come together and gather around this dear writer and help her to form a plan—a reasonable, easy to follow step-by-step program—that she can put into place and help her to complete her WIP, so that her foils will not be put on public display for all to see and comment on?
What advice would you offer? What has worked for you? Help a fellow writer, won’t you? Share your tips on overcoming writer’s block. Please, oh, please, oh please.
Oh, and check out my poem: I've Hit a Writer's WALL, and it Stings a Lot.
What Diana has failed to mention, is that while this particular critique partner of hers (again, super awesome) struggles to write the “perfect” ending, this critique partner does think about it ALL THE TIME—while showering, while twittering, while eating ice cream, right before falling asleep, and, yes, even while blogging.
The problem, the creative muse (if one believes in such things) has slipped away. The voices that lead, direct, and bring life to the written word, have vanished. Painfully, all she hears is silence.
Terrifying. Crippling. Silence.
*insert tumbleweed for dramatic effect*
And it scares her to be left on her own. She fears she’s just not creative enough without her fictional guides to well, guide her (see?).
Did this happen by her own doing? Probably. Did blogging get in the way? Most likely. Has Twitter become an evil pass time? Yes, yes, a million times yes.
BUT, regardless of her mismanagement of affairs, what really should be addressed is this: How do we help this poor soul to get her mojo back? Especially when, with only a click away, a writer can get sucked into twittering and blogging? (And please don’t suggest she unplug the internet—that’s just wrong).
Because isn’t THAT what’s most important—helping her to find her creative muse? Let’s not judge her for her excessive blogging and tweeting habits. Let’s not condemn her for drinking far too much Pepsi, which she knows is unhealthy and wrong, shall we?
Yes, she dug her hole, but why not come together and gather around this dear writer and help her to form a plan—a reasonable, easy to follow step-by-step program—that she can put into place and help her to complete her WIP, so that her foils will not be put on public display for all to see and comment on?
What advice would you offer? What has worked for you? Help a fellow writer, won’t you? Share your tips on overcoming writer’s block. Please, oh, please, oh please.
Oh, and check out my poem: I've Hit a Writer's WALL, and it Stings a Lot.
