How can one have writer’s block with a fist full of
sharpened pencils? If that’s not good enough, carry the pencils to the
backyard and sit in a comfortable Adirondack chair. If that is not good
enough, carry a cat and a bottle of bourbon with you. Can you write about
the cat? The cat jumped over a butterfly; the cat jumped over the moon; the
cat took a trip to the moon where it was possessed by evil Venusians bent on
dominating the solar system, but the Venusians were only able to steal the
bourbon.
Okay, still not working? Try a better pencil. Steven King thought highly of
Black Warrior pencils. Little girls prefer pretty pencils that make pretty
colours on paper. If pencils are not the problem, try better bourbon or
greater bourbon volume. Bourbon consumption is like standard battle
strategy, use overwhelming power to quickly smash the opponent. Or use a
different cat . . . the leopard spots turned green when the Venusians took
control of the leopard’s body.
So, now your poor pet cat is looking at you with sad eyes because you
replaced it with a leopard. Such is the writing life, abundant sacrifices
for those that toil to succeed. And pencils are sharp if you’ve had too much
bourbon. But that’s a win-win. Pour bourbon over the wound to sterilize, and
take another sip for pain. The cat won’t be of much use with pencil
injuries.
What about this writer’s block thingy we were discussing? If this silly
tirade hasn’t driven you out to your chair in the backyard, there’s no hope.
Well, no, I take that back. Where there’s pencils, cats, and bourbon;
there’s always hope.
Retreat? ... Many writers feel
that the writing retreat is the way to go. For some, that’s great. Annie
Dillard enjoyed the reclusive life and found inspiration in nature. Thoreau
and the other nature writers did the same. There was a
famous sci-fi author that did methamphetamine for a month and stayed at the
typewriter till the novel was completed. Seclusion works for some.
Thomas Merton enjoyed solitude for inspiration but stressed that ascetic or
monastic life is only for service to the community. Retreat from society is
retreat from ideas. Hemingway found ideas at the local bar, or out on the
fishing boat or hunting trip with his buds. Sartre wrote much of his work
while sitting at the local café sipping coffee. Many of the greatest writers
were involved with writing groups or artist groups. Still today, we see
writing groups touted as the only way to get quality feedback. But there’s
more to it than just feedback. Today’s writing demands reality, and that’s
only going to be found by writers that live, feel, and know reality.
Take a notebook or voice recorder with you. You’ll find ideas when you’re at
the ballgame, ballet, karate tournament, movie theatre, church, class, bar,
work place, store, lunch, family’s Christmas dinner, etc.
Don’t avoid life. Life is the inspiration. Life is the voice that lends
reality to the work.