Ugh, the blank page. Again.
Even when I’m editing, I try to do 750words every day. I like to make sure the writing gears are greased before I set to work. But that leads to me facing the blank page at the start of every writing day.
Sometimes I like the blank page. Sometimes when I’m stuck, I just open a new document and start typing. Sometimes commentary–
omg can’t believe I can’t get this to MOVE damn you MOVE, why did I let her say that? It takes the scene in the wrong direction except that’s what she WOULD say, argh, maybe I could change…
Sometimes actual attempts at writing–
Together we moved into the darkness, silent death stalking the night. Except he wasn’t a damned ninja, hell. He stepped on something that squeaked.
Death squeaked in the night.
Sometimes it’s just a stream of profanity–
F#ck f#ck f#ck this is not working I’ve got a deadline f#cking f#cker sh#t d#mn c#cks#cking b#st#rd MOOOVVVEEEE
Then there are the arson plans–
burn it burn it burn IT BURN it BURN IT burn it BURN IT WHERE’S THE LIGHTER FLUID??
Ahem.
But there’s a difference between a fresh start to work something out (or just to swear a lot) and a blank page of “here, come up with something.”
“NOW.”
“I’m going to stare at you until you come up with something.”
“Type, or the albatross†gets it!”
Luckily, I’ve found a solution. Last year a friend and I exchanged favorite writing books–I loaned her Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury, and she loaned me Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life by Natalie Goldberg.
I got about twenty pages in and then I went online and ordered my own copy.
Wild Mind has lots of cool exercises (as opposed to many another writing book, which mostly have annoying exercises) and prompts. I just pick up the book, grab something, and go. I actually still haven’t finish reading it–there’s so much good stuff in there that I keep putting it down to write.
Now that’s a writing book.
†When you reach a thirty-day streak, you get an albatross.