Writing Wrongs

March 10, 2006

Yes, I know, two posts in one day. Of course, I don�t really count quiz posts as real posts. Anyway, I�m quite stymied lately. It�s weird and rudderless. Minus the recent Firefly/Serenity film fest, I haven�t done much of anything, certainly nothing creative. As an aside, I highly recommend Firefly/Serenity for the uninitiated (watch the show first, then the movie). Good stuff.

Where was I? Or wasn�t, as the case may be. Thing is, I haven�t been writing. Hardly anything. It�s very strange for me to end one project and not have something simmering on the back burner. I have some ideas, but they�re all vague, requiring the sort of research and development that won�t fit into the downtime between the first and second draft of The Boys� Club.

So when I don�t have anything to write, I get a little panicky. Of course, if I had something to write and not enough time to work on it, I�d be feeling guilty. Panic or guilt. Which is better? I don�t know. And with nothing to write, I feel as though my writing skills (such as they are) will get rusty.

Of course, there are always writing prompts. Me? I got tons of writing prompts, books filled with them. Cutesy little exercise ones, deep-thinking ones. Ones to sharpen your observation skills, others to employ all five senses. You need a prompt? I�m your girl.

I hate prompts. I hate free writing. I hate those workshops/classes where the instructor makes you free write and then forces you to read it to the other students. Like writing isn�t hard enough. I don�t even free write this blog. I know; you�re shocked. It certainly reads that way.

You know what I�m talking about? The instructor/book gives you something like:

You are a duck. For the next five minutes, write about your life as a duck.

I have friends who can do this. They�ll give you comedy, pathos, infuse that duck�s existence with humanity (you know what I mean).

And I got nothing. The only time a prompt as actually worked for me is when it sparks something I�ve already been turning around in my mind.

On the upside, the weather has been beautiful here, so no writing = a little sunshine on my face. The ice on the pond is breaking up; I can actually see water. Pretty soon, we�ll have ducks.

I�m not going to write about them.

Charity Tahmaseb wrote at 4:24 p.m.

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