You know you're having a bad writing day when...
•You're convinced that blanking, blinking cursor is mocking you. You can almost hear it saying "Not...writing...not...writing..."
•Your pet has crawled up into your lap, looked at your work, and yawned.
•You've pulled out a calculator and (for fun) figured out how many hours you've spent on this particular manuscript. WARNING: This knowledge will have you (no matter the hour) reaching for a bottle.
• You decide to take a short break from writing. Days pass.
• You realize your decision to write on the computer was an error as you have no physical paper to rip from the typewriter, crumble up into a ball and hurl across the room.
• You have worn a pathway across the carpet with your pacing.
• Cleaning the oven with a toothbrush seems like a more efficient use of your time.
• You decide to close your eyes and just type - who knows something marvelous may appear. You type. You open your eyes to discover your unconscious mind types in a language you don't understand.
• You make the decision you should have more words with 'x' in your manuscript.
• You consider a subtitle for your book: The Book That Will Never Be Finished.
Sometimes, you just have to laugh. It helps.
Those are the days when you find something else to write...like your next six blog posts.
ReplyDeleteThese are all so true...that's why I write on a yellow pad first. I can crumple pages, the cursor can't see me and the cats can't read my handwriting.
ReplyDelete•Your pet has crawled up into your lap, looked at your work, and yawned.
ReplyDeleteIf my pet ever did that, I would shoot, strangle or hit it with the above-mentioned bottle. Perhaps you have already guessed I don´t have a pet, and my children are old enough to hit back.
And I don´t know how Terry could know that I had just written several blog posts? I think your ability to look me over the shoulder is rather uncanny?
Laughter is an instant cure-all.
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with cleaning the oven with a toothbrush?
ReplyDeleteI frequently have shouting matches with the blingety-blanget cursor. It enjoys mocking me. :)
ReplyDeleteAt least the _______ cursor doesn't dance or laugh.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't, does it? Really?
Elspeth - Oh, you have so described a bad writing day!! It's one of those things we all face. I always find that it's a bad writing day when you try to open your manuscript, and the computer gives you an error message: File too boring; try again? ; )
ReplyDeleteIt's sad because right now the blinker is mocking me... it's not fair.
ReplyDeleteCD
Hmmm...This sounds oddly familiar...Oh, yeah! Like nearly every writing day!
ReplyDeleteMichele
Beat Generation on SouthernCityMysteries
Terry; That's an excellent use of time, isn't it? I've done it myself - but never 6 at a time!
ReplyDeleteLaura; That would be two of the advantages of hand writing first. Unfortunately, my handwriting morphs very quickly into chicken footprints.
Dorte; There is nothing like having a pet for you to know your true place in the world. My kids would actually voice an opinion. This would not be a win for me.
Carol; My test for maturity is how fast does something become funny. Things that used to make my blood boil now make me laugh.
Patricia; Nothing's wrong with that. It shows you're thorough.
Rosie; It does mock, doesn't it? There's a reason it's name is "cursor".
Margot; That made me laugh! Oh gracious, that would be bad...on so many, many levels.
Clarissa; Show it who's the real curser.
Michele; Sometimes, you just have to laugh. Or make a brave attempt at it.
Mary; Look at it. It may not sing, but it dances. It does. Can singing be far behind?
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize how many Xs I have in my MS. Qs and Zs too. Amazing. I would have guessed like less than ten. But there are scores.
ReplyDeleteStephen Tremp
My cats not only yawn, they decide to play with the cursor and tip-toe across the keyboard. Maybe I should just let them finish the book.
ReplyDelete• You realize your decision to write on the computer was an error as you have no physical paper to rip from the typewriter, crumble up into a ball and hurl across the room.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I used to type on a typewriter when I was younger. It was fun! I loved the sounds it made! In those says I didn't do much frustrating tearing, though. Ah, the days when every writing day was marvelous!
And you're right that laughing helps!
Very funny eventhough it really is awful when the writing is being uncooperative. Hope tomorrow is a better day.
ReplyDelete- Cleaning the oven with a toothbrush seems like a more efficient use of your time.
ReplyDeleteOMG! Been there, done that!