tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post3865183537778704691..comments2023-08-14T10:44:59.007-04:00Comments on Novel Spaces: Writer’s Block? I Don’t Have…Oh, Shiny!KeVin K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14792797517571690942noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-38587008555824673332012-11-22T16:18:21.138-05:002012-11-22T16:18:21.138-05:00What Kevin said - I love politics, too, and in the...What Kevin said - I love politics, too, and in the face of the latest outbreak in Gaza I've been firing off salvos of facts myself to correct this impression that the fighting is centuries old and that Israel, despite its embargo and its illegal settlements, is completely blameless. In fact, as a former student activist I have to say I find FB and Twitter excellent ways to promote outreach. What I do now, though, is take myself off to a corner with my AlphaSmart and then return to the desktop every few hours for social media breaks.Eugenia O'Nealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387352519341205107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-64565711394887035192012-11-18T20:43:33.713-05:002012-11-18T20:43:33.713-05:00Family distracts the hell out of me, so the only t...Family distracts the hell out of me, so the only time I can any kind of normal writing down (original or editing) is on the weekends.<br /><br />I don't get writing blocks per se, as the last one that I really got was back in '07 and making a comment on a news story launched me on a quixotic journey to where I'm currently commenting on your cool blog post.<br /><br />Anyways, when I do get stuck, I whip out my handy-dandy pen and paper, and start writing out blog posts. Usually does the trick as by the time I'm done, I'm more than will to get back to that writing thang.G. B. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09783331838434598963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-53764136895363505062012-11-18T12:30:32.693-05:002012-11-18T12:30:32.693-05:00Yes, research can be another double-edged sword. T...Yes, research can be another double-edged sword. The novel I'm currently writing has required a lot of research, particularly since I've set so much of it during the 1940s-1960s and I want to make sure I get the little details right. The subject matter has directed me to a variety of different resources, and I've found myself so caught up on reading that I've forgotten to take notes, let alone write any of the story.<br /><br />As for Facebook, Twitter, blogging and so on, they're all a vital part of the writer's platform, but they're also a huge time sink if you're not careful. Thankfully, most of the people who read my blatherings in those venues are aware that I'm sometimes required to leave them to chat amongst themselves as I head back to work :)Dayton Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579725240702685223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-44383632786727926262012-11-17T21:08:11.803-05:002012-11-17T21:08:11.803-05:00I love your title. I have to turn off Facebook, b...I love your title. I have to turn off Facebook, blogs, twitter, email.. all the internet distractions that I can rationalize are my "networking/ platform building" tools, therefore part of the writing work. Nonsense. Writing is part of the writing work. Ahem, now if you'll excuse me...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-42731665499969004602012-11-17T11:28:26.974-05:002012-11-17T11:28:26.974-05:00Okay, reading Dayton Ward posts would be on my lis...Okay, reading Dayton Ward posts would be on my list of distractors...<br /><br />The only non-writing distraction for me is politics; but it's a big one. I'm a political junkie and cannot resist a really stupid conspiracy theory is. (Last night I lost an hour firing salvos of facts into moronic blogs decrying Obama for relieving General Carter Ham and Admiral Charles Gaouette of command for attempting to save the embassy in Benghazi on 11 Sept. General Ham's routine rotation had been public knowledge for months and Admiral Gaouette's strike force had been in the Pacific, en route to its deployment at the time. I have resolved to not check for reactions until after I hit my word count for today.)<br /><br />I can distract myself within writing as well. For me research is the rabbit hole; I can go in planning on five minutes checking a fact and come out an hour later with four pounds of fascinating and irrelevant information.<br />Long ago, when I had a workshop, when I was stuck on a plot issue, I'd refinish pieces of rescued furniture. These days I do things like wax half the car or partially organize tools I no longer use until my writer brain finds a solution. When I know what I want to write but the words won't flow, I do what you do: freewrite. I have dozens of planner pads filled with random notes, ideas, etc., I scrawled to get my prose pump primed.KeVin K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14792797517571690942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-40455345770700602012012-11-17T11:25:09.652-05:002012-11-17T11:25:09.652-05:00I think I need quite a bit of writing "freep...I think I need quite a bit of writing "freeplay." When I get locked into projects and don't let myself do that, I think my writing gets dull.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.com