A Separate View

Thinking Outside The 'Block'

This week, I've been plagued with writer's block. I've been down and stressed and there's just always so much going on. I've been sporadic with writing. When I find a moment or two, I sit down with my laptop and stare at the screen, thinking about everything under the sun BUT my W.I.P. Time passes quickly and I haven't written anything, and I get more down and stressed. It just really sucks.

I wish I could be one of those quirky writers who tucks herself away, alone in some secret log cabin high on a secluded mountain side, hidden from the rest of the crazy world. How nice it would be to have complete control over when I can write, how long I want to write, and most of all how nice it would be to have NO INTERRUPTIONS when I'm writing! Now, of course, I adore my friends and my family, but I think I need to make a new law in my house. That's it, I'm putting my foot down. I'm doing it . . .

I'm going to think outside the block, so-to-speak. I'm taking my writer's block and turn it into something useful, a new kind of writer's block. I'm setting aside a solid 'block' of time each day for writing--ONLY for writing. During this time, I will be out of commission to everyone, inaccessible to all, utterly inattentive to the needs, wants, weeps, hurts, whines, complaints, etc. of anyone else but the characters in my stories. My kids will have to learn not to bug me during this set block of time, because well, it's just the law. Let one of them play referee while the other two duke it out, and they can get their own dang glass of water . . . right? Okay, okay I know, unless it's Saturday or Sunday, the kids will be in school anyways during this block of time. So here goes . . . whether or not my boyfriend has the morning off from work, I still have work. My writing is my work. It's my job, according to the new law. So, don't think for one minute I'll be on my phone. Oh, no, no, no! The new law states: There will be NO answering calls or text messages during the set writing hours. Noelle, did you hear me? I said NO phone calls. None. Nada. Nope, not one.

So, yeah, this law is effective in this house as of tomorrow. I got this. I do. I like it. I can feel the creativity bubbling, waiting to flow again; I feel the bad 'writer's block' coming down already!

So, I'll let you know how it works out for me! Do you have a set block of time to write each day? How does it work out for you? Please leave a comment--I'd love to hear from you!