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Writers Block Woes


I deleted two chapters today.

I wrote them.  And then I deleted them.

They were horrible.

The problem is that I kind of know what I want to say next in my story...but not exactly.  It's like smacking clay onto a sculpture blindfolded.  You hope you hit something that feels right.

Only I didn't.  My blobs of words were far off the mark.  Blek.  I wouldn't want to read that mess.

So I have ended the day with no more words than I started with.

And I am searching my mind for some word of inspiration that keeps the day from feeling like a total failure.

The best that I can come up with is from a story about a couple of oil drillers.  The young one was frustrated after a day of drilling with no discovery of oil. But the old one was contented.  He said sometimes it is just as important to know where oil ain't.

Yep.  That's what I'm telling myself.
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Comments

  1. JanieJune 3, 2015 at 5:18 AM

    That's the spirit! For me, the inability to write is usually my inner writing coach telling me that something's wrong and I need to find it and fix it. Usually, I can continue on my merry way once I've got the problem sorted. Hang in there! I'm sure you'll figure it out, and in my experience, a story is usually a little bit better after a pause and an authorly regrouping.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Esther Brooksmith (wisdomcreates)June 3, 2015 at 10:44 AM

    You are so right! I found the monkey wrench in a chapter before my two deleted scenes. It was a character who wasn't developing right for the story. I went back and fixed him, and then words started to flow easily again. You're the only other writer who has said that to me!!! But it's true!

    ReplyDelete
  3. JanieJune 4, 2015 at 10:42 AM

    I always figure that, as writers, words are kind if our thing...and if the words stop working, there's probably something out of whack.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Esther Brooksmith (wisdomcreates)June 4, 2015 at 6:44 PM

    That should be reposted in a quote somewhere... :)

    ReplyDelete

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