Welcome to IWSG, the brainchild of our Captain Ninja Alex! Today I want to talk about roadblocks.
I’ve had a number of roadblocks to my writing lately – not writer’s block, mind you. Far from it.
I mean life. It gets in the way. Things that no amount of scheduling can prepare for. All I want to do is write. Clean the house? Pffft. Cook? Double pffft. Sleep? Who needs it?
No, I mean real roadblocks. Things you can’t prepare for. Illness, sudden doctor appointments, crap eating at your soul type of stuff. Sometimes the big baseball bat knocks me off track and I churn my wheels in the dirt for a while.
What things do you do to get your mindset back into story realm?
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Don’t forget the What’s Your Chocolate? blogfest next Monday, Sept 10th!
Laura, I know what you mean. Something always comes up that interferes with the writing. I take care of those things just as fast as I can, always knowing that all I really want to do is write. But once I’ve done what needs to be done, I’m in heaven again writing.
You’re right, Ron. It is heaven to write! Thanks for the positive message.
Balancing writing with life is difficult and you should proud that you can manage a blog as well. I am trying not to let life get me down and keep writing, even if its only a fragment or sentence, or even take a few minutes to read because that’s important as well. That way, I feel that I am still satisfying that urge to write/ read. Cheers
Hi, Clayton! Every sentence helps and yes, reading is just as important to me as well. I don’t think I manage to blog well…once a week is more like limping, but thank you.
Right now, at this very minute, I’m supposed to be writing a blog post — the one on barriers to time management. Instead, I’m sitting here nursing a headache and reading others’ blogs. Fiction? I’ll get to it eventually . . .
As for what I do, the best thing is just to start. Maybe read through what I have, set a timer for a short, focused burst (maybe 15 minutes), and go. I might only get 12 words; I might get 500. The point is that I get some, and I know it’s not impossible, so I can keep going.
Boo to the headache, Erin! I hope it leaves soon. You’re right, even a few minutes of writing is worth it.
Oh, Laura, I know exactly what you mean. I spent several months in that place with lots of those kinds of detours. All you can do is be aware and when the time and energy are right, the writing will begin to flow again.
Karen
Hi, Karen! You’ve been through so much. It’s heartening to have you come over and pat me on the back. I needed that.
I’m sorry, Laura!
Often it just takes time to ease back into the groove.
But I want to be like you, Alex! Able to spin social media with my toes while writing with my ninja skills and performing great feats for others – all at once!
Lately I’ve tried to view roadblocks as new experiences which will improve my writing. Sometimes life challenges just happen and I simply have to ride them out. I figure I can later incorporate some of my own thoughts from these challenges into my writings.
To get back on track with my writing, I just have to ignore whatever emotions or distractions are pulling me away from it. Once I start writing again, I get into the flow of it pretty soon thereafter.
Laura, I think you “manage to blog” quite well. I find myself looking forward to your next Fantasy Friday — and everything else you write.
Thanks, Ron! You don’t know what a boost that is to me.
Laura,
I’m so sorry you’ve had such a rough time. You deserve to have your coffee brought to your side by a Greek God, while you type the day away free from appointments and illness. That’s how awesome you are. Please hang in there. Remember, you can chat with a friend and unload it all. We are strong and can handle bearing a little bit of the weight from your frustration. I pray good news comes your way soon.
Laura, I couldn’t agree more, especially concerning the Greek God.
Thank you, Ron. I’ll keep my hubby though. Greek Gods are so tempermental.
You haven’t had an easy time yourself lately, Ciara. Thank you for the shoulder to lean on. My husband does walk my tea from the kitchen to my office for me each morning, since I’d slosh it on my foot on the way there!
Sorry to hear you’re facing such challenges. Depending on what it is, sometimes writing and everything else must be set aside for awhile. The emotions during these events are usually very raw though, so I will keep a journal. I’ll use those emotions later on.
For more minor crap, writing is my therapy.
Thanks, Mary. Raw emotions are very good to tap into for writers. When I was losing conciousness in the ambulance last June, I remember trying to catalogue what everything felt like for writing purposes. LOL!
Either that or unbalanced, Kevin!
Laura, you are pretty much talking about my entire summer. It sucked. A lot of things happened that brought me to the depths of depression. Ugh! I’m finally making my way back into the groove. I tell you, life does get in the way way too much. I find that I get in my way too. Keep on going. I’m glad I’ve met you through IWSG.
Hi, Julia! It’s nice to meet you. I hope your groove keeps going.
I know some of those feelings, Laura. Life will intrude, no?
I have found myself writing even one sentence, so I can tell myself I’m (still) a writer. It helps, though I have to admit there are days when it helps less than others, and other days when even the sentence doesn’t get written.
It becomes a case of keepin’ on keepin’ on.
I’ve never been a fan of “slow’n steady” – but sometimes that’s all there is.
But, dang, you’re got quite a groove, Lady.
I think that’s all we’ve got, Kevin. Keepin’ on keepin’ on. I don’t like slow and steady either, which is why I have no balance in my life.