All Blocked Up

It’s been a long, looooooong, hot summer. Consequently, I’ve had issues being motivated to do just about anything. Writing, in particular. Am I discouraged because of rejection or does impending rejection make me unmotivated, and therefore, discouraged? You can see the cyclical pickle I find myself. Inside-Your-Head much, Mary? Probably.

The other day, I received a very kind message from “Bridget” (you remember her, my fabulous writer friend) after we’d swapped manuscripts. I disclosed to her how I’ve been buried in this foggy funk for a while. Here is her reply:

“Everyone has blocks and times that they can’t bear to read their own book again, and struggle for ideas to move forward… You just have to search for a trigger to motivate you… Actually maybe blogging is a good thing to do to get you over your slump. Just commit to one post a week, and tweet a link to your post. This weeks can be “I need motivation/inspiration”!…”

Honestly, it was what I needed to hear.

So, here I am, blasting my current favorite song on repeat and blogging, if just for the exercise. Already feeling better….

“Forget all the rules.

Forget about being published.

Write for yourself and celebrate writing.”

-Melinda Haynes

All Blocked Up

It’s been a long, looooooong, hot summer. Consequently, I’ve had issues being motivated to do just about anything. Writing, in particular. Am I discouraged because of rejection or does impending rejection make me unmotivated, and therefore, discouraged? You can see the cyclical pickle I find myself. Inside-Your-Head much, Mary? Probably.

The other day, I received a very kind message from “Bridget” (you remember her, my fabulous writer friend) after we’d swapped manuscripts. I disclosed to her how I’ve been buried in this foggy funk for a while. Here is her reply:

“Everyone has blocks and times that they can’t bear to read their own book again, and struggle for ideas to move forward… You just have to search for a trigger to motivate you… Actually maybe blogging is a good thing to do to get you over your slump. Just commit to one post a week, and tweet a link to your post. This weeks can be “I need motivation/inspiration”!…”

Honestly, it was what I needed to hear.

So, here I am, blasting my current favorite song on repeat and blogging, if just for the exercise. Already feeling better….

“Forget all the rules.

Forget about being published.

Write for yourself and celebrate writing.”

-Melinda Haynes

“I can’t help but to write, I have an inner need for it. If I’m not in the middle of some literary project, I’m utterly lost, unhappy and distressed. As soon as I get started, I calm down.”

-Kaari Utrio

“I can’t help but to write, I have an inner need for it. If I’m not in the middle of some literary project, I’m utterly lost, unhappy and distressed. As soon as I get started, I calm down.”

-Kaari Utrio

Roomy Room

When I first bought my condo two years ago, my initial project was to PAINT. Admittedly, I went a tad crazy at first–having been an apartment dweller for so many years–not allowed to put a nail in the wall without being charged.

At move in, my second bedroom/office/writing room was a b-o-r-i-n-g neutral. Which is NOT conducive to the creative process.


So…going first for the obvious, I painted an accent wall. Black. But, it turned out too dull and too…depressing. Even for me, who loves black.


Color #2 was blue. Bright blue. Clown blue. Err!–overkill.


Next was deep purple. (shown over there.) Along with this purple, I also painted the other three walls a pretty silver. The accent wall stayed purple for the longest, over a year. I liked it well enough, but lately, I’ve been itching for a change. Maybe a RED? Something so bright and stimulating that my retinas would burn. Nice.


So I tackled the project over the weekend, settling on Robin Egg Blue. (The color of those darling little Tiffanys boxes.)


I finally put the room back together last night and am very happy with the results. I can see myself being oh-so creative in this room now. Yeeee! I smell a Pulitzer!

Roomy Room

When I first bought my condo two years ago, my initial project was to PAINT. Admittedly, I went a tad crazy at first–having been an apartment dweller for so many years–not allowed to put a nail in the wall without being charged.

At move in, my second bedroom/office/writing room was a b-o-r-i-n-g neutral. Which is NOT conducive to the creative process.


So…going first for the obvious, I painted an accent wall. Black. But, it turned out too dull and too…depressing. Even for me, who loves black.


Color #2 was blue. Bright blue. Clown blue. Err!–overkill.


Next was deep purple. (shown over there.) Along with this purple, I also painted the other three walls a pretty silver. The accent wall stayed purple for the longest, over a year. I liked it well enough, but lately, I’ve been itching for a change. Maybe a RED? Something so bright and stimulating that my retinas would burn. Nice.


So I tackled the project over the weekend, settling on Robin Egg Blue. (The color of those darling little Tiffanys boxes.)


I finally put the room back together last night and am very happy with the results. I can see myself being oh-so creative in this room now. Yeeee! I smell a Pulitzer!

Glutten for punishment? Maybe?

“Coleridge was a drug addict. Poe was an alcoholic. Marlowe was killed by a man whom he was treacherously trying to stab. Pope took money to keep a woman’s name out of a satire then wrote a piece so that she could still be recognized anyhow. Chatterton killed himself. Byron was accused of incest. Do you still want to a writer – and if so, why?”

-Bennett Cerf

Glutten for punishment? Maybe?

“Coleridge was a drug addict. Poe was an alcoholic. Marlowe was killed by a man whom he was treacherously trying to stab. Pope took money to keep a woman’s name out of a satire then wrote a piece so that she could still be recognized anyhow. Chatterton killed himself. Byron was accused of incest. Do you still want to a writer – and if so, why?”

-Bennett Cerf