Fear the Blinking Cursor

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

So, it’s my turn to post to Happily Ever After Thoughts and here I am, staring at a blank page in Word and a blinking cursor, having, once again, no topic. Or maybe, I just don't have the words. This is not unusual. 

As a writer, that blank page and blinking cursor is intimidating and the bane our existence, but it happens more often than I’m comfortable with. Sometimes, as I already said, there are no words and the cursor just teases us (or maybe, torments would be a better description). And it doesn’t only happen when you’re trying to write a blog. It happens other times, too.

Sometimes, the characters in your current story refuse to talk to you, leaving you to figure it out. Sometimes, our muses simply disappear for a time (Hmmm, I wonder where they go. Are there muse conventions where all the muses get together and laugh at us mere mortals? Are there classes where they’re taught how to torture us? My muse must enjoy those classes quite a bit, as he seems to take particular pleasure in leaving me hanging while he’s off galivanting).  

What does one do? I don’t know about other writers, but for me, physical labor does the trick to break that log jam and get those words flowing. I’ve come up with some really good ideas while washing the dishes or scrubbing the floor (I keep a pad of paper handy though writing notes with wet hands isn’t something I would recommend).

I have, at times, simply tried working on another story but then, that can get you in trouble, too, because what if you like the new thing you’re working on instead of finishing the original thing? Hahahaha, that probably explains why I have over thirteen unfinished manuscripts sitting in my computer right now although I always eventually go back to the thing that was giving me fits in the first place).

Walking also helps…just putting one foot in front of the other without any clear destination in mind (Hahahahaha, I’ve walked miles trying to figure out how to get out of the corner I’ve written myself into!). The only problem with that is 1) you could get lost, 2) you could find that you’ve walked too far and now have to go home and frankly, your feet hurt, or 3) you just can’t remember everything that went through your head while you were walking. I could use a recorder to get my thoughts down but I sound like Mickey Mouse (in between the huffing and puffing). It’s rather embarrassing!

Hmmmm, I think I’ll go clean out the fridge…maybe that’ll get those creative juices flowing! Wish me luck!

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie