I am sure that for every problem there is an answer. I am feeling not copacetic this morning. You know how it is – morning fatigue, irritation, grumpiness, I need coffee but can’t have it anymore. Call it what you wish.
Sheba is being annoying, barking up a storm every time the two little Chihuahuas next door poke their fuzzy white heads out on the deck. I should not have named her after a queen. She sure is acting like one!
How am I suppose to get creative and come up with my 500 words in this state? The Lord must have heard me. When I opened up Facebook, the first thing I saw was from Canada Writes on:
Art blogger The Jealous Curator on vanquishing creative block
How timely and appropriate! It is just what I need to get going this morning. I, too, love art and had hopes of becoming an artist. I majored in Fine Arts and English my first year in University. I had no work discipline and gave up on the art after a year. My thought was if I had talent, I wouldn’t have to work at it. I could whip up masterpieces just like that. So why waste time in something that I can’t excel and make money at? I was listening to the voices of reason.
The next year, I dropped out of university altogether. I had a history of being a quitter. When the going got tough, I was missing in action. I am trying to do better now. I am working hard, staying in the mental and physical discomfort of pushing for a little more each day.
When I read some of the winners’ stories on Canada Writes, I think to myself: I have no hope in hell! But then I tell myself to move on. If I stay in that thought, I will never accomplish anything. I have to keep writing to get better. I write because I love words and ideas. I am not doing it to win at anything. And I can’t measure myself up against others. We all have our unique styles and words.
I am going to heed the Jealous Curator’s advice on being stuck. Maybe you will find it useful, too. Here it is:
The Jealous Curator’s 3-part creative block exterminator1. Time. Allow yourself time to be blocked. It happens, and yes, it will pass. It always does, but you can speed things up with ingredients 2 and 3.2. Humour. Don’t take it so seriously. Most of the pros have a really light view on their inner critics and blocks in general. If you can laugh, and cut yourself some slack, the blocks seem to fade a lot faster!3. Side projects. So, so, so many of the artists suggested doing little side projects to help shake yourself out of a rut. In fact, all 50 of them gave an “unblocking project” at the end of their interviews. They’re so good! (I’ve tried about five of them so far.)
Very inspiring.. I never quit when it comes in all aspect in life.
Thank you! You are a very strong spirit, not quitting anything. I will have to come over and visit.
Lily
Yes. We all have bad periods, and this applies to blogging as well as life in general. But what you’ve done is to admit it and move on. You’ve brushed your complaints aside and given others a way to conquer their own writing block. Well done.
In the 70s, we had a saying–‘grock with it!’ That meant, go as low as you want, get down in the dirt, and when you’ve had enough of that, you’ll naturally rise.
Thank you Francene for reading and making such good points.
Lily