I am currently going through an adjustment period. I've been coping simultaneously with a plethora of endings and beginnings. While this is a very exciting time, and the vast majority of changes are those that I have spent several years striving for, I have noticed some rather irritating consequences. I'm exhausted, my attention span has shortened, and my creativity has almost entirely dwindled. As a result, the blog that I intended to pick right back up is suffering.
There's nothing to worry about. I can tell these setbacks are temporary. I can feel ideas for new posts brewing, but putting fingers to keys is difficult when I'm faced with all these barriers. My plan is to get into a routine. Then, as I fully adjust to my new lifestyle I will already have a time and procedure for contributing to my weekly blog. I feel really good about this plan. I believe it will support the creation of new material, and the development of my writing will improve. However, it means that even on days like today (when I feel somewhat under the weather and all I want to do is lay on the couch), I have to produce something. This is a problem, because everything I attempt feels forced and is a clunky read.
Rather than push something inexplicable out, I figured I'd provide my readers with an explanation. The truth is I've got a mad case of writers block that can only be alleviated. This can only be alleviated by expelling boring unformulated thoughts to clear the way for for the insightful essays I enjoy most. So, bear with me as I push through, and please stay tuned.
Resisting the urge to grow up (on Mondays and more)
Hi. I just felt compelled to reach out on this post, since I was going to e-mail you, but then I figured that comments on the blog are also good, and I like them too, so I should do them more for others.
ReplyDeleteI found you today through a link on reddit, where I was searching for something to help me to help someone in my life who is having issues. I looked at the post, then managed to lose the next 4 hours trawling through other posts. I didn't find what I was looking for in direct terms, but I did find some beautifully written personal posts, those about your work, and also the fiction (Raina's Story - which is wonderful, and good for teens and adults alike IMHO. Are you going to finish it here, or will it be a book sometime?). I also found a few insights that have given me some clarity as I struggle to find the patience and understanding to reach out to my own someone.
I also go through periods of not writing (although I have a food blog, so I can always force something eventually, because it is essentially writing about what I had for dinner!) mostly during periods of change, and also a new job. I have read from this post that you feel the pressure to write and be good again all the time. This is a familiar feeling for me too, and I most often find that when I find a way to stop feeling that pressure, a post or a recipe comes to me, and then it starts to take over my head until it comes out on the page.
Anyway I guess this is a way to say thanks, and that I hope that you stop feeling pressure soon. Someone who has an ability to captivate with their words, like yours, won't be blocked for that long
Mel,
DeleteFirst off,thank you so much for your comment. I'm always so humbled and grateful when a reader stops by and shares their thoughts with me. As a blogger yourself, I'm sure you can relate to the experience of feeling like your efforts have been worth someone's time. So, thank you for reading as much as you did and sharing your thoughts.
Personally, I get a lot out of the writing process. I find the work incredibly clarifying. However, this blog is not about me. I share my opinions and experiences, but that is not to force them upon others. At the end of the day my hope is to help others find their own clarity through self-exploration. That is my goal in my work, in my writing, and in my life. I am so glad to hear that this has helped you. That's the reason why my posts are public.
And yes, like you, I to feel the pressure to be good all the time, but I think that might just be part of the human experience. This is what gives us hope to strive for greater things.
Also, thank you for reading Raina's story. That project is near and dear to my heart. Though I have not added to it of late, I think about it often and plan to make it a complete novel one day. Until then, updates will be found here.