I’m sure no one noticed, but last week was the first time in 6 action-packed months, that I didn’t post anything on this here web-log.
It sucked.
The reasons I didn’t post were three-fold:
1. My neck decided it didn’t like being the thing that connects my head to my body, and in turn, went on strike. I’ve had odd lightheadedness, dizzy spells, and a general feeling of not being my witty, awesome self. I’m in the clear medically (or so some blood and urine tests say) so I don’t have any weird, exotic diseases. Boringly, it is probably the result of some strained neck muscles and some accompanying cervical vertigo. I’m in discussions with my neck to end the strike, but his demands for equal pay and better working conditions are going to hurt my bottom line.
2. I have been oddly busy. I use the word oddly because I’m usually busy, but also usually pretty good at slipping writing into the many little gaps that come with being an overly-tasked but somewhat apathetic employee. For whatever reason, last week afforded me almost no time for the normal clickity-clack of my laptop keyboard, which afforded me no sweet blog posts.
3. I wanted to see how I felt if I didn’t post. I love writing, and love posting here, and love taking pictures for the posts, and love checking my stats, and love reading all of your hilarious comments, and love seeing what insane crap spammers are able to slip by Akismet this week. But at times, I felt like I was forcing stuff out the proverbial door just for the sake of it being done. I wasn’t writing for fun, I was writing out of complete perfunction (yea, that’s not a word…but it should be).
Ultimately, the feeling that I was forcing out doggerel was not worse than the feeling of not posting at all. My logic is weird, I know.
But, I’m back! And I’ve got all kinds of bullshit to talk about. I found a good beer in a can that doesn’t taste like some sort of roboticly infused alluminum monster! I also found out that creating a story or a long-form piece of writing is a lot like playing with Lego! Lastly, I discovered that I am much happier when writing anything – even stuff that doesn’t make me all ants-in-the-pants excited – than when I’m writing nothing at all.
Love you all, thanks for continuing to witness my psychological decline via my creative outlet.
This is where my writing goes when it doesn’t sink into the keyboard and become letters on my magical screen.
Tagged: blogs, busy, cervical vertigo, consistency, neck strain, posting, updates, writing
Literature and Libation 
Welcome back Oliver! I know your plight well. Too well as evidenced by my own lack of blog updates. The good thing is that I AM working. I’m cracking away again on the novel. Well, A novel anyway. Not the one I’ve been posting about. Let me tell you why.
Over the past few months, I’ve seen many successful writers spreading the thought that it takes an insane amount of writing to become good (like ~1,000,000 words). This all makes perfect sense of course. Practice makes perfect… but it was causing me a lot of grief because I want to write a ‘good’ novel now. This anxiety has been keeping me from continuing on the novel I had outlined on my blog. I wanted THAT novel to shine. I really didn’t want to screw that idea up.
So, as an experiment, I’ve decided to start writing something I don’t care that much about. I’m working through The Marshall Plan to Novel Writing and just kind of doing a paint-by numbers thing. I figure this will at least get me writing more of those first 1,000,000 words that seem so important.
I KNOW up front that my novel will stink, be totally unoriginal, full of plot holes, etc.. but I’m okay with it. 🙂
Thanks Phil!
I feel like my NaNo-novel was exactly that. An exercise in testing my limits, trying new things, throwing caution to the wind (what is caution exactly? I have yet to figure that one out) and ultimately just refining the craft.
One of our guest speakers (Mary Kay Zuravleff, who is phenomenal, you should check her out) said that mastering any creative art is an “apprenticeship.” Some people have a shorter experience than others. A blacksmith doesn’t forge perfect swords the first time he strikes the anvil, after all.
I’m putting together a post on craft and drafts that I think you’ll like. Keep your eyes out!
Yay, you’re back! Your blog is still one of my favorites, so, y’know, don’t die or anything.
Thanks! I do my best not to die daily. As my wife says when I’m about to do something stupid, “Don’t die, dude.”
Oh also, I just nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award. Is that okay? To be honest I’m not totally sure what it is, but you can check out my blog for deets if you want. Anyway, carry on.
I like the idea in principle! Winning awards is fun!
I responded in line in the comments of your post 🙂
I thought my reader felt a little lighter last week, and for some reason, I was a little less happy then, too! Glad you’re back! (Tell your neck we’re in a recession and he should be grateful he has a job.)
Welcome Back! Though, to be honest – I didn’t really notice that you were gone. I was ready Gary Oviler’s blog about different notes that exist in wines. It’s quite good, though he’s very dark and not at all funny. Come to think of it, he may be your doppelganger. There are some strikingly convenient differences.