Writer’s Bloque
May 28, 2011 § 6 Comments
I haven’t posted to this blog in over 10 days. I hope you missed me! But I’m not experiencing ‘writer’s block ’- at least not in the conventional sense – hence the odd spelling.
MLS un-bloqued
This phonetic thing is an old habit gained while living in Brazil! When an American word had no translation, a new Brazilian version sprang up – phonetically spelled or at least Portuguesed in pronunciation. Example: During my language-school year the power grid shut down, plunging most of the southern states into darkness. The headlines in the first newspapers to make it back into print screamed BLEQAUT – meaning, of course, BLACKOUT.
“Replay” has no one-word translation in Portuguese, thus, in a televised soccer game, when a goal is shown over and over again, the announcers say “he-play” – the “r” in Brazil having an “h” sound in most instances!
So today, I choose to say bloque because as a writer I’m not blocked from lack of ideas to write about, I’ve just had too many bloques to my schedule to sit down and write!
My fault.
I’m the culprit who took two large editing jobs back-to-back (one down, one lurking!).
I’m the one who belongs to three active writing critique groups – two of which I attended this week.
I’m the one who agreed to be faculty chair for the Florida Writers Association 10th Anniversary Writers Conference next October, and therefore, had to drive to Orlando for a meeting with FWA and hotel events people on Tuesday.
Oh, and I’m the one who wore herself out playing three rounds of 18 holes in the burgeoning heat of Central Florida this week. (My golf buddy heads back to Wisconsin next Thursday – for the summer – and we’re getting in as much play as possible before she leaves!)
I know better! I swear I do!
Jane Yolen
Some years ago, I attended the Highlights for Children Foundation Children’s Writers Workshop (www.highlightsfoundation.org/) at the Chautauqua Institute in western New York. The first-night keynote speaker was prolific children’s writer, Jane Yolen (www.janeyolen.com). I remember her opening words – can even hear her voice.
“The key to writing success…”
She paused.
We all sat forward to listen intently.
“… is BIC … B-I-C … Butt In Chair!”
Profound! Words to live by!
Therefore, I AM resolved to DO better!
I WILL get the Creative Writer’s Notebook June issue ready for the printer by Tuesday!
I WILL finish the lurking novel and do that conference call with the author!
I WILL write the next chapter in my middle-grade historical novel!
I WILL do ALL of these … just as soon as I’ve had my nails done today – both hands and toes; played one more round of golf with Pat on Monday morning; and “Kung-fu Panda II” is on at the movies – in 3D!
My Desk - Really!
Oh, and I really should clean my desk off so I can think more clearly …
my other zone 
Your desk and my desk are TWINS! ;o)
In my writing group we call it B2C (butt to chair).
There is a fine line between doing too much and living. How do you tell the difference between “too much,” and gaining experience that will make your writing vivid? I’ll be darned if I know!
Actually, I think your desk is a triplet. Looks like mine. What MG novel are you working on? You’re so right – we tend to take on all these other responsibilities and that doesn’t leave as much time for writing. We have no one to blame but ourselves.
I’m working on “Timothy Michael O’Hara, Virginia Patriot”, second in the O’Hara Revolutionary War series that began with “The Spirit Journey of TMO”.
“The Vision Seeker” is with my agent, so I’m trying to be patient!!!! ARRRRG!
What are you working on?
MLS
Sounds very familiar….my excuse for not writing as much as I planned in this new retirement is that I’m trying to be more active physically and The Villages offers so many of those opportunities that of course were not possible in my previous career’s desk job. I haven’t yet found a balance. When I’m in writing mode, all else falls away for 8 to 12 hours at a time. If not balancing, that means my BIC is getting BIG!
I think we are all ‘sisters of the pen’! Now … let’s all get back to work!
MLS