There are days when writing is a joy. Then there are those days when writing can make you mean. These days might include when:
You realize you have spent the last 5 minutes wondering why you have shelves of mugs in your kitchen when you only use 3.
You wonder why so many of the mugs are unspeakably ugly.
You remember who gave you those mugs. You curse them. Kindly.
Refocusing on the work at hand, you discover your characters seem to be addicted to smiling, shrugging and sighing. Opening their eyes really wide also seems to be very popular.
You have the perfect scene in your head but it refuses to come out of your fingers.
However, upon rereading your manuscript, you discover you've already written this same scene, not once, not twice, but three times.
You start obsessing about the mugs again.
You realize you need a break. You take all the mugs out, wash them, then put them all back. You can't get rid of any of them today, you're writing.
You write. Look. It's the same scene. AGAIN.
You realize that one of those mugs would be perfect for filling with a liquid other than coffee or tea. That mug is your new favourite.
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SPECIAL NOTE: I'm over at Terry's Place today with one of my picture posts. Please drop by!
Elspeth - Oh, yes! Those mug days! I know them well. Some days it's because of the characters and scenes that just refuse to come alive. Other days (for me, anyway), it's because of the "frozen into immobility" phenomenon that happens when I become fully aware of how far I still have to go on my WIP.
ReplyDeleteI had a Mug Day just last week. I am ahead of you, however ... I only have two shelves of them :)
ReplyDeleteWhat's worse is actually packing and moving (and paying the movers) to transport many more mugs than you'll ever possibly need.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for being my guest today. Great post!
Yes those mug days are infuriating. I too have loads of ugly mugs, mostly from the kids' prizegivings at school. There are times when dishes break and it's a blessing. :)Like the new look BTW!
ReplyDeleteMargot; I know that 'frozen into immobility' phenomenon very well. Sometimes, it's just easier to focus on the mugs.
ReplyDeleteCarol; Good for you - but, how large are the shelves?
Karen; I'm comforted knowing someone else thinks like me!
Terry; That WOULD be worse. Luckily, I haven't moved in a while - however, I refuse to think how many times the mugs have been moved in the past.
Lauri; That is a happy day, isn't it? It's the ones that were given as gifts that are the worst - they can be so awful, but you have guilt about getting rid of them.
Every spring I get rid of a huge box of mugs. I suspect those left behind are doing *something* after dark (or at least when the doors are closed).
ReplyDeleteMary
Giggles and Guns
Mary; I think you're right - ask the socks.
ReplyDeleteOh, I think you're right. I often have mug days.
ReplyDeleteCD
Mugs? I never thought of obsessing about mugs. I'll add that to my list. :)
ReplyDeleteClarissa; Come on over, bring a mug.
ReplyDeletePatricia; I'm pleased I could help. May I interest you in a mug to commemorate the occasion?
Mugs huh? Oh, I mean mugs eh? Sorry I forgot I was a Canadian for a minute though god knows that is hard to do these days. Nope, I do not obsess about mugs. I do have a little list on my computer that says "realized, thought, saw, noticed, glanced" though. It is to remind me to stop having my protagonist do these things as they aren't fitting for someone of her literary stature. I'm obsessed with weeding or doing the dishes or lying down to figure out something and then picking up a book and reading it all the way to the end and then still not knowing what I'm going to do with the bit that caused me to lie down in the first person. But mugs, nope.
ReplyDeleteI hear you...God, I hear you. Damn mugs.
ReplyDeleteMichele
Southern City Mysteries
Have so been there, done that—especially the “You have the perfect scene in your head but it refuses to come out of your fingers,” part.
ReplyDeleteMug days!! Oh, this is so true...
ReplyDeleteI do indeed have an entire shelf of mugs. And every now and then I will stand and admire them- it is true this tends to happen when the writing has gone wobbly...
ReplyDelete