Thursday, January 22, 2009

Blocked and Unblocked

I was horribly blocked yesterday. The truth is that it’s been brewing for some time and I’ve been mangling the words out … My mentor has been saying that I must keep the juicy stuff back and not give the readers answers yet…so I was trying to work out what I could talk about.

My big hope for my lead character is that the readers won’t be shouting ‘For GOD’s sake woman – just ask the question you want answered.’ I hate pathetic heroines who just won’t do the things that would sort the story out. It’s weak.

So. Yesterday I tried the foot massage approach. It relaxed my brain which was whirring and squealing at me … but it didn’t give me any answers. It might have set up the right thought processes though because this morning I stuck the Magnetic Fields* on the Ipod and played Bejewelled and my mind wandered off and … ta da! I’ve got the next couple of scenes sorted and a couple of long term questions answered too.

*Because I love Stephin Merritt’s music more than PG Tips …so there.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Whatever it takes to work things through - for me its walking or long distance driving!

So pleased you can see the way forward.
lx

Yvonne said...

I must use that trick sometime! Glad you are unblocked, it's a royal pain.

Carol said...

I'm glad your unblocked and hope that it wasn't too painful...Oh, wait...your weren't talking about that kind of blockage were you!!

hehehe

C x

Jenny Beattie said...

Liz, thanks; me too. With these 10k deadlines, I can't afford to wallow in blockages!

Yvonne, I was sorry the foot massage didn't help, but it did once at Christmas, so it's definitely worth trying again, and again, and again...

Carol, HELLLOOOOO. Yes, thank you for that!

Lane Mathias said...

Hurrah. Glad you managed to clean out the blockage:-)

Chris Stovell said...

Not as much blocked as unsure as which way to go. I think the cure for that is, altogether now, just fecking write!

Leigh Forbes said...

Well done, JJ. Another block broken, and what a nice way to do it!

CL Taylor said...

That's brilliant! I love it when your block suddenly breaks like that. It feels like a little miracle! :o)

HelenMWalters said...

Sounds like you've got some interesting thought processes going on there. Yey for removing the blockage.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Well done you. I need total peace and quiet to figure something out, and lying in the bath helps too.

Beth said...

I knew it! playing bejewelled really is productive. can you tell my hubby please? :)

glad you've had a breakthrough!

Anonymous said...

Glad you broke through the block and are flying again :)

Liane Spicer said...

Taking the pressure off works for me too... I never underestimate the power of the subconscious!