Sunday, May 14, 2006
Writer's Block Part 2
Breaking Through Writer’s Block
I realized why I hate writing.It’s because I hate being alone. Writing feels like punishment. A sort of cosmic “Time out – go to your corner and think about what you’ve done!” That’s how my parent’s punished me and that’s how writing feels. It feels as if I’m being punished. Finally I figured out a few solutions:
NEVER give myself the whole day to write. Writing is exhausting.Far more exhausting than roofing.You know the saying – “Roofing is easy – writing is hard!” Or something like that. Or maybe not. But one of the best books on creative writing is Dorothea Brandt, BECOMING A WRITER. Written in 1936, the advice is timeless. She suggests to do no more than 15 minutes in the morning.
Yes, I can do that...
Then back to it later in the day. After writing for 15 minutes first thing in the morning, it got my head thinking about it all day. All day I’m jotting ideas down and my attitude now is that I can’t wait to find the time to write them down.
I find that getting out of the house is a good thing. Too much distraction at home.On Sunday, I did morning chores and headed off to write at the Del Rey hotel. It has a gorgeous lobby with overstuffed sofas with an amazing view of the ocean. A perfect place for an office.I started writing and it was working.A waitress kept feeding me – salad, ice tea, cappuccino while I typed away. No internet service – no distraction. My 0 words turned in 1694 words.I’m going to go to a different hotel each day. My mother would be proud – I have the life of a hooker.
I realized why I hate writing.It’s because I hate being alone. Writing feels like punishment. A sort of cosmic “Time out – go to your corner and think about what you’ve done!” That’s how my parent’s punished me and that’s how writing feels. It feels as if I’m being punished. Finally I figured out a few solutions:
NEVER give myself the whole day to write. Writing is exhausting.Far more exhausting than roofing.You know the saying – “Roofing is easy – writing is hard!” Or something like that. Or maybe not. But one of the best books on creative writing is Dorothea Brandt, BECOMING A WRITER. Written in 1936, the advice is timeless. She suggests to do no more than 15 minutes in the morning.
Yes, I can do that...
Then back to it later in the day. After writing for 15 minutes first thing in the morning, it got my head thinking about it all day. All day I’m jotting ideas down and my attitude now is that I can’t wait to find the time to write them down.
I find that getting out of the house is a good thing. Too much distraction at home.On Sunday, I did morning chores and headed off to write at the Del Rey hotel. It has a gorgeous lobby with overstuffed sofas with an amazing view of the ocean. A perfect place for an office.I started writing and it was working.A waitress kept feeding me – salad, ice tea, cappuccino while I typed away. No internet service – no distraction. My 0 words turned in 1694 words.I’m going to go to a different hotel each day. My mother would be proud – I have the life of a hooker.
Comments:
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Wow Judy, That’s cool, what a life.
I can’t believe that I didn’t give you a piece of your own advice. In the Bible you recommend not writing the whole day. I knew something was wrong when you started your part1 blog saying you had scheduled the entire day. When I read this, I assumed when you get as good as Judy you can do these things. But for the readers “stick to just writing in the morning”. But I guess the rule applies to everyone.
I seem to be at some writers block, because before reading your books I had all these ideas and subject matter for standup. And I even got some down on paper. So I start carrying my little notepad in my pocket, I have my index cards and my large notepad. Along with this excitement that something great is about to happen. Well according to Murphy’s Law once I’m ready nothing comes. Ok I have a few ideas down trying very hard to capture myself laughing in my daily life and writing it down as soon as it happens. But other than that, nothing, notha, or is it notta? Maybe nadda.
Not to be discouraged I read over “the format of a joke” and decided to rework stories I wrote from last year. And it was like the clouds split open and let the sun in. I had this big story about an experience I had in San Francisco and it sounded just ok. Even when I would tell friends about it, it was a good story but just ok. Well when I applied the format it was like adding color to the canvas. I was cracking up at a story that I wrote last year. Thanks for introducing me to the format.
Now if I could just find a comedy buddy. There are some strange people out there, but then maybe that’s a good thing.
Thanks again.
I can’t believe that I didn’t give you a piece of your own advice. In the Bible you recommend not writing the whole day. I knew something was wrong when you started your part1 blog saying you had scheduled the entire day. When I read this, I assumed when you get as good as Judy you can do these things. But for the readers “stick to just writing in the morning”. But I guess the rule applies to everyone.
I seem to be at some writers block, because before reading your books I had all these ideas and subject matter for standup. And I even got some down on paper. So I start carrying my little notepad in my pocket, I have my index cards and my large notepad. Along with this excitement that something great is about to happen. Well according to Murphy’s Law once I’m ready nothing comes. Ok I have a few ideas down trying very hard to capture myself laughing in my daily life and writing it down as soon as it happens. But other than that, nothing, notha, or is it notta? Maybe nadda.
Not to be discouraged I read over “the format of a joke” and decided to rework stories I wrote from last year. And it was like the clouds split open and let the sun in. I had this big story about an experience I had in San Francisco and it sounded just ok. Even when I would tell friends about it, it was a good story but just ok. Well when I applied the format it was like adding color to the canvas. I was cracking up at a story that I wrote last year. Thanks for introducing me to the format.
Now if I could just find a comedy buddy. There are some strange people out there, but then maybe that’s a good thing.
Thanks again.
Judy
Sign on with ODEO and give us keen readers your voice...It's easy to actually talk, rather than always write to us.
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Sign on with ODEO and give us keen readers your voice...It's easy to actually talk, rather than always write to us.
Oh ODEo is a podcasting/audio blogging interface at
http://studio.odeo.com/create
You're a hooker? I had no idea!! I found one good idea for writers block and that's to always have something to write down ideas. I don't remember where I heard it but it's true. If you try to remember it later without notes, you won't... it's gone forever!!! You know that thing on big umbrellas... that flap on top that lets air escape and keeps it from flipping backwards? I invented that, one day walking through Times Square. I din't write it down though....
Judy, you peform comedy because you have a very disfunctional family life that you never came to terms with......keep up the good work hiding behind your worthlessness with comedy and keep on sexually abusing those young boys! They will only suffer for life!
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