Speaking of Writer's Block . . .

I've never had "writer's block" because I'm an author.

And here's the distinction in both my mind and as paraphrased from the words of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary: An author creates, like God (check out Webster's yourself). A writer . . . writes.

Think of the terms "ghostwriter, screenwriter, copywriter." All these wonderfully artistic souls are for hire in general. Not that they can't also be authors, but these three terms are strictly for when they are working under someone else's direction, writing around someone else's creation.

For ghostwriters, they take the idea from the source (the person who hired them) and carry it to fruition. For screenwriters, they usually take a novel (again, someone else's baby) and reduce it to a 120-page script for the big screen. For copywriters, they are instructed (by their employers) to write ads for their customers, for instance.

Okay, the previous spotlighted generalities. This paragraph deals with specifics. You could order me, a romsus author, to "write like Stephen King" and my brain would freeze. Same as if you commanded me to write about death in gory details or child porn or concentration camps. First, not my genres. Second, even if you dictated that I write in my own genre--now at this very instant--a romantic suspense short story about a prince and a barmaid, I'd be a petrified, brain-dead, wordless individual.

Because I don't write on demand.

Because I'm not paid by the hour or in flat fees per job.

Because I generate my own ideas.

Because I create from data I am constantly gathering with all six senses (yes, I'm counting intuition).

Now granted, I could write something if forced and it would probably read that way . . . forced. Lifeless. No emotion. Because it didn't have the verve of a story idea that I cultivated and picked myself.

Thus, if I don't happen to be creating at the moment, I don't call it "writer's block." I call it gathering info, letting things marinate, allowing thoughts to percolate a while longer. Research. 

So, be careful what you name things.

Take Abram in the Bible for instance. When God wanted to change Abram's destiny, he changed his name, WHAT HE WAS CALLED. That is why we know him better as Abraham. God changed his wife's name, too. Sarai became Sarah for the very same reason.

Beware what you call things.

So if you think you are experiencing "writer's block," ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I working with a subject or theme or premise I chose myself, which I love, that inspires something in me, whether enthusiasm and goodwill or rage about wrongs to be righted or something in between?
2. Am I on the wrong side of the writer-author line? Like me, I work better solo, in full control, as an author. While I could function in the write-about-this role, I would not be happy and my creative genes would go on strike.
3. Am I affixing a derogatory label (writer's block) when I really need downtime, some influx of new data/scenery and my mind-body-soul are just working off that bad input?
4. Change "can't/won't/no" to "choose not to/maybe later/not now as I've decided to do something more important." Watch for those automatic responses we all tend to replicate.
5. Stop saying "I have writer's block" and that may cure a lot of ills--ha! 
6. Am I working by formula instead of being moved by emotions?

Hope something above stirred your heart as you read this. As always, take what resonates, toss the rest.

Denise Barker, author + blogger + copy editor

http://bit.ly/DeniseBarkerBlog

http://bit.ly/AMAZONDeniseBarkerEbooks

http://bit.ly/BNDeniseBarkerEBooks

http://bit.ly/SMASHWORDSDeniseBarkerEBooks

http://bit.ly/KOBODeniseBarkerEBooks

We Should Live More By Our Gut Feelings

I'm doing that more and more.  Living by my gut feeling.  I must forewarn you, though, people who are more "rational" will question you.  Heck, people who are more "emotional" will question you--well, more likely manipulate, control, try to get you to feel guilty, yada yada yada.

Don't let them.

Don't let you, ether.

I mean it.  I've been guilty of talking myself out of stuff without needing anybody else's notions added to the mix.  And what did I miss by not even trying?

I've read numerous times in a variety of places that we will regret more of what we DIDN'T do than what we did.  Also, I'm reminded of a statement I believe author Marianne Williamson made regarding a chapter in one of her books.  She hesitated putting it into this book, but did and had more positive comments and feedback on that particular chapter.  It entailed clearing out a drawer in your office to bring in customers (and money).

The Bible talks about us waiting to feel peace about a decision before we sally forth.  I definitely believe in that and follow it ninety-nine times out of one hundred.

But living by my gut?  Takes more courage whereas the "waiting for peace" part just takes more patience.

Regardless, I'm going the "riskier" route.  Believe me, you will not, dare I say never, find me bungee jumping, participating in NASCAR, parachuting from a reliable aircraft, running with the bulls, repelling mountains or skyscrapers or any other such extreme sport, especially those that involve heights.  I'm not talking about risks of that nature.  I'm talking about overruling my mind and the status quo (and what some people may expect me to do) with my gut and my intuition.

Want to join me?

P.S. One of my readers made an excellent point.  When you live by your intuition, you should not choose something unlawful, or that hurts anyone, including yourself.  No selfish acts allowed.  Just to be clear here.

The Importance of Our Sixth Sense

I'm in Day Five of NaNoWriMo.  And having a nicely productive week.  But today I was a little worried about my late start on writing toward my NaNo WC.  However, since I plan to have fun with NaNo 2011 and to shut down my Internal Editor (who was talking a lot today), I just kept on track with my To Do list of other tasks until I finally felt the nudging to create those daily pages.

I had the best day yet.

Even though I have a thirty-six-item scene list to refer to, my chapter yesterday ended without a thread to pick up and follow today.  And I knew that consciously and must have been trying to distract my thoughts away from the supposed problem with my other duties, so that my subconscious could mull on it and whisper solutions to me.  It worked.

I checked the next item on my list and tentatively began to type.  Not that I have to be rigid about addressing my list numerically.  I am a pantster after all, not a plotter.  I have written scenes out of order before and edited them into place.  But, you know, once I got my fingers working those keys, a new idea emerged and it took me off in a word-filled direction with four new characters I had no idea were needed in my novel even one hour earlier.

In fact, had I known about them, I would have already searched through baby boy names trying to lock down each of theirs so I didn't waste my NaNo time on anything less than tapping the keyboard.  Still, I made good time and had my biggest daily WC yet.  I am PSYCHED!

And hope this momentum carries me to November 30 and beyond--and for all the other 2011 NaNoWriMo participants, too!  Woohoo!