Friday, January 4, 2008
Mental Blocking
Say it’s Fourth and Goal. (If you don’t know football, you think I’m talking gibberish, but I’m really not. It’s the equivalent of the last page of a novel. All this football on TV is getting to me.) Your offensive line is standing in front of you, you quarterbacking. The ball is set; you’re looking at the formation of the defense. You know they are going to rush you, and you need to do the sneak to make it that last little inch that will help you reach your goal, but the defense is there to stop you. You hike the ball, it’s in your hands, and you freeze.You freeze. Time stops around you. You’re looking at everyone, frozen in position, waiting to be moved, waiting for their turn to be perfected. And you’re blank. The plan you had is gone, the slate is wiped clean.
So what do you do next? You still have to move forward. You still have to make it that last inch to complete the down; because if you don’t, you just wasted all that time, all that hard work and effort. But you can’t think of your next move. You can’t think past the next second. So you take a step back, reading the lines of defense- you’ve only got one chance to make this right.
Suddenly the defense comes to life, rearing up, looking you in the eye, daring you to come forward. Your offense is covered. The beating of your heart, now pounding with all the thunder of elephants stampeding. Your mind is racing. A plan. You need a plan. It comes to you.
You need a Hail Mary.
The finish line is right in front of you. The defense will try to block you. There will be some part of you that feels like you can’t go any further but you have to just do it. Go for it. Take that chance.
So what does this all translate out to? Well if you know football, then you might understand, and if not. You’re the Quarterback- the writer. The defense is everything that you find wrong in what you’re working on, may it be pacing, characterization, goals, motivations, grammar, spelling.. etc. The offense is the meat of your novel. The plot. The characters. The goal line.. come on! You know that one. The football is your pen, keyboard, whatever you use to write. Each new set of downs is a chapter written. But when you get to Fourth and Goal it’s time to do your thing or get off the pot. It’s time to buck up and get the job done.
Mental blocking is a lot like defense. Mentally we get to a certain point and we don’t have the capacity to go any further. It can just be for the night or it can be the novel. You hope its just you, but sometimes no matter what you do, that mental block just grabs a hold and you can’t shake it.
I have to be honest, since working on my contest entry, I didn’t really think much past it. Our Powder Monkey, Lis, graciously agreed to trade spots with me this week, after a frantic email the night before I would need to post. Only because I’ve been writing like a fiend for the past few days to make this deadline for the Amber Quill- Amber Heat contest. I’m one of those writers that waits until the last minute. I’m a pantser and a procrastinator (equals = total slacker), a deadline to me just means I know how much time I have to slack off. I need a deadline to tell me to get my ass in gear and I knew this deadline was going to be hard to meet because of the holidays, but it came up so soon *laughing* Sometimes I can’t even believe myself.
I had this plan (sort of) of what I was going to write in this erotica, and as always, it took on life of its own and now it’s nothing like what I wanted. So I took a deep breath, pulled the fic back out and looked it over (kinda) and thought about where I need to go back in order to straighten it out. Plan to rewrite about 5k. Very do-able for me. Probably 3 hours, maybe. But I’ve got 11 days! 11 days to get this done! I’ve got plenty of time…
I’ve got a problem though. I’m standing on the one yard line, my goal line in plain sight- I haven’t frozen yet. My fingers are still moving, but I’m so close. The mental block is creeping closer, trying to get me to succumb. Trying to get me to write something else. Tempting me away by episodes of Blood Ties and e-mails and good books and movies.
But I’m the Quarterback, standing on the offensive line, pen in hand, last page ready to be written and I will not be deterred. If you believe, you have to keep the faith. The inspiration will come, and if not, I’ll pull back and let the Hail Mary fly.
Mental blocking, you have no hold on me. Defense, fall back and stop stressing me. My offense is game. My Hail Mary is good. This Quarterback is about to do the end-zone dance (though it might require lots of rum and a good, sturdy looking… mast. Yeah, that’s what I was going to say. For dancing. Just a living, breathing mast. To do the horizontal kind of dancing. *grin*)
Ever got to that point in something you're working on (whether it be writing or not) that you just can’t go any further? So what’s your Hail Mary plan? How do you get back on track?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Books by the Crew
18 comments:
It's hard to get back on track. I usually go back and start editing until I have the huzzah moment, OR I work on something else. But you are on a tight deadline.
I'm really good at forcing myself to stare at a blank page and writing complete drivel if it gets me to some meatier stuff. Have you tried that? And I don't mean for a short period of time. I'm talking about sitting and staring at the screen for three hours and FORCING myself to write anything to get the story back on its feet.
And to Ter's and Hellions ubber ick factor, I refuse to do necessaries (showering, eating, tea guzzling) use the stuff you NEED as a reward system. That sometimes helps.
Wow, Tiff, you're tough. Again, I'm in awe of your dedication.
I have only got to one mental block as such and that was in my regency. So, I put it down and I started something else. I've been feeling like getting back to it soon, so I'm going to wait til I run into a snag with this work then I'll abandon this ship and return.
I never expected I would be that person to work on two WIPs at once, but I think I might be.
I think sometimes mental blocks are just my brain telling me that I'm saturated with what I'm doing and that I need a break to freshen up.
Though, again, you're on deadline so you don't have the "walk away" luxury. Maybe the "shower as reward" system will work?
Tiff- you're a tough cookie!
I take a mental break for an hour. A timed hour. Not an hour, give or take another hour or two. LOL. Mostly, I get to the point where my eyes hurt just looking at the screen, so I rest them for an hour and turn it back on. That helps me. Well except yesterday, and I just chalked up yesterday to a day lost (Well I got everything done that I would normally do on Saturday so now I can write with Hellion on Saturday).
Marnee- I'm the same way. When the mental block comes on, I'm just exhausted. And I know with a deadline you just have to push through it, but I work on a computer for 11 hours a day and then go home to write for four. Sometimes you just have to learn when to give your eyes a rest.
Tiff being the except of course. LOL
Thanks for reading wenches!
First of all, the football analogies are killing me! I finished SEP's first book of the Chicago Stars books last night and they are all about football players. Big, hot, sweaty, ass-kicking football players and I'm still floating. Sorry, where was I?
Oh yes, great blog. This is going to sound strange but I WISH I could get to the mental blocking. I mean, I just don't get to write for extended amounts of time to get stuck. I did write all day Sunday (a first!) and got almost 10K workds done. Felt terrific but I could feel myself and the story tapering off at that point. Had to stop to re-boot. Me, not the comp. LOL!
I also work on a comp all day and then go home to turn mine on immediately. For me I just need time, then I'll get to have my own mental block and I'll have more ideas on how to unblock.
I can say this, talking with someone else about it works for me. In the past, when I've known there was something missing or some key element I needed in the story at that moment, I've talked to a writer friend or two about it and it never fails, the wall is smashed, the ideas come and the answer smacks me upside the head.
I say, try talking it out. *g*
Ter! Rocking the new photo! It's fabulous!
Gotta love airbrushing. LOL!
Gah! Can you imagine how awful I look in person - without the airbrushing?! LOL! It looks more like some HS senior picture than a promo shot but what the hey. I paid for them so I might as well use them.
Until I can get ones I actually like. That could be tough...
BTW - I'm not going without showers for anyone, anytime, anyhow. Nope, not gonna do it...
LOL! Had a feeling you'd be adamant about that! LOL
Sign me up for airbrushing! I'm all for it!
And you're beautiful without the airbrushing. You're WAY too hard on yourself.
But agree, I don't go without a shower. It's the first thing I do in the morning.
Yeah, I'd have to say that IS what you look like. sheesh... you is too hard on yourself.
I cannot believe there is a football game on MY ship!
Still, excellent analogy--I was totally riveted. *LOL*
My Hail Mary Plan: if the magical fairies in the middle of the night don't come and write my story for me, I start drinking rum and then writing. Strangely lots of great ideas occur to me when I've been drinking.
Tiff: I can deny the showering and eating for a while (10-12 hours), but I need food, damnit. Your metabolism is so efficient, it'll run on fumes, me, I need a stack of oreo cookies to poke me along. Or some cheese doodles. Both work.
Marnee: *LOL* Hey, the two WIPs approach works for Sherrilyn Kenyon. *LOL* Kinda works both sides of your brain, so to speak.
OMG, Terri, put up a PROFESSIONAL pic! That's awesome! I feel like such a slacker with my cartoon drawing. Bouncing ideas off someone else always helps me too.
You think they could airbrush me enough to look like Elizabeth Swann?
I'm sorry but you were hogging the rum and I needed something to keep all the testosterone on the ship happy. They like football, just watch them run about and sweat and shirts off. That's rather inspirational if you ask me. LOL
I really haven't written anything drunk. But the fact that I haven't been drunk in a long while should be an indicator of why I haven't written drunk... LOL
It does look like Terri, and it is a great picture...but somewhat starchy. You look like someone's badass principal. Smile, woman, you're writing about sex...
*imagining multiple Jacks trying to play football, laughing at image* Actually that'd be pretty funny.
I say do some horizontal research.You're writing an erotica, it's a given that you need to be practicing what you're writing. You need to make sure the plot is realistic...yeah that's it!
When I get stuck on a story I Google hot men on the internet. Nothing gets me more fired up than a scatily clad man with a bare chest and a perfect mast bulging in his ...:) Just a suggestion. Then when that doesn't work I read. I pick up a book and get lost in someone else's story for a while until I can look at mine again and not throw the computer against the wall. It also helps for me to get out of the house for a while,like Tiff said use a reward to make yourself regain your focus.Go to a movie or your fav restuarant where a young Ranger is toting cheese dip:)
When all else fails send the story to me and and let me read it...
By the way kick-ass blog. I love football, and you used the comparison beautifully.
Lis! Thank you babe! I have to admit that I never have to look up a half naked man because you always post one for me to see. LOL I'm spoiled.
Sorry, I never smile in pics. Actually, I have a few more to choose from and some look a bit happier. I'll see what I can find.
I think Lis is onto something. LOL! I'm telling you, if I had never met this one guy and didn't have a very good memory for THAT though I can't remember any other freaking thing, I'd have nothing to write. *sigh*
Captain - You look just like Elizabeth - what are you talking about? LOL!
Post a Comment