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I met George, Jerry, Moore on Saturday and first was struck at how tall he was. OK, I shouldn’t have been thinking that but I mean, it has to be at least 6’6 and standing beside him made me feel like a midget, even in my 5 inch heels. But I digress. I asked him to post to my blog and he agreed. I think it was the heels. So I hand over this weeks blog to Jerry, I mean George. Please leave him some suggestions; I’m sure he will appreciate it.
I met B. Swangin at a recent writers’ conference where she made an engaging, high-energy presentation on marketing. Afterward, I gave her my card, so I could receive updates on her activities. Needless to say, I was impressed by her and her presentation.
She noticed that my card included my blog address. At that point, I reluctantly admitted that I had difficulty creating content. She provided a couple pieces of advice, including guest posting. I filed them away to ponder later.
Then, the next night, she offered the opportunity to guest post on her blog. "Later" arrived much sooner than I expected, but I’m blocked writing content for my own blog, so how can I write for someone else's--a *REAL* author with a true following?
That's where fear raised its head. What if I can’t think of anything? What if it stinks? I hate declining opportunities, but I had nothing.
Oh, crap.
I wasn't ready to surrender just yet. I asked myself what was stopping me, not only doing the guest post, but from posting to my own blog. I'd been hovering around it for a time, and now it was clear. Fear was blocking me.
It’s the same fear you feel as an 18-wheeler is heading for you or when you’re walking in the woods and see a bear up ahead. For city dwellers, substitute politician for bear and streets for woods--it’s the same thing, really. :)
Having fear isn’t a problem. My reaction to it is what matters. After all, when our ancestors saw a bear, they were afraid, which made them run--fast. Eventually, they figured out that the bear was tasty too. Because of that, humanity survived long enough to build cities.
(As an aside, my wife pointed out that you could substitute possum for bear in the above paragraph to hilarious results. Try not to laugh...)
What does this mean to me, an aspiring Sci-Fi writer or to other writers even? Is it time to run or time for bear jerky? I saw a graphic recently that had the words “Your comfort zone” written inside of a box. Outside, the words “Where the magic happens” were written.
The reason I had difficulty creating content was that I didn't want to reveal much about my interests. The catch here is that that's where my blog content resides.
So, it’s time to set free my inner-geek (no, not THAT way). Perhaps, I'll post about comic books. There's some complex and compelling story telling happening in this format. Hollywood is making movies based on comic books for a reason. Perhaps I'll post about a new laptop/tablet combo that I have my eye on.
Perhaps, I'll even relate how I read a short story about a starlet getting a Goth makeover (including using the words "pushup bra" and "being on display") to a writers' group composed entirely of middle-aged and older women. It felt like the top of my ears were on fire I blushed so much.
I now return you to B. Swangin.
George G. (Jerry) Moore
http://georgespen.blogspot.com/
You have hit the nail on the head with the cause of writer's block. FEAR!
ReplyDeleteI once had writer's block for a full year--between drafts of It's Murder, My Son. It was after I had hung up my laptop and announced that I quit writing that my writers block went away and I made the decision to write for myself--not agents, publishers, or even readers. When I made the decision to write what I love to write about--murder mysteries--or, in your case Jerry--comic books or starlets in push-up bras, then there is no end of things to write about.
I have found that when you worry about what others think FEAR of failure will paralyze you.
Am I good enough you will think with each keystroke.
But when you write for yourself--for the sheer joy of writing, then the words flow.
The books that I have written since I decided to forget about everyone else have been my most successful.
I think it has something to do with revealing who I really am between the lines. Readers can sense that.
If you want to write about the starlet in the push-up bra--do so, Jerry! There are readers out there who want to hear about her--and get to know you!
Keep on writing, Jerry!
Interesting post, Jerry! Now that you know what to write about, I'm eager to see your own blog.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Christopher Golden, one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming Creatures, Crimes and Creativity Con (www.creaturescrimesandcreativity.com) got his start as a comic book writer. Trust me, if you can make The Micronauts interesting, you can write anything!
GREAT post. If this is an example of your blogging skills, then you have nothing to worry about. Go for it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouraging words!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Jerry. Interesting that you equate writer's block to fear. I guess I never thought of it that way, but then again I refuse to admit to writer's block because I feel there's always a way to the end of the story or always some way to start a story- meet a character, put a road block in their way and find out which way they are going to go- hopefully the nice long interesting way. I guess that comes from having experienced road blocks not as an impediment getting somewhere but an opportunity to get where I'm going a new way. Fear of meeting that bear (or politician, or possum) in an audition, or at a pitch session- almost certainly, but not when it comes to finding out where a story/character is going.
ReplyDeleteI don't know--the possum story might have been fun. As a by the way, your reaction as you read the goth story WAS fun. The story wasn't bad either. In fact, it was good.
ReplyDelete