Reading Isn't Procrastination, Is It?

from the archives...4 May, 2010

Yet another long moment (by moment I mean weeks) of procrastination, but this time I blame fellow authors and their addictive tales. My urges to pick up a pen, or in the case of this modern world, the laptop, has fizzled a little. I think because I am torn between which of my ongoing manusciprts to work on.

They all call.

Constantly.

I blame some of it on my most recent inspiring books (not by me) of which are tugging me in all directions. Here they are, my current list of reads and still reading's. Not to place blame, oh wise authors, but drat. I am frustrated with your brilliance and ability to fuel my obsessions....

Christopher Moore. You are first because I just finished Bite Me. I hate to pick on you, but I cannot get enough of Abby Normal. And to find your recent novel being written mostly in the tone of Abby Von Normal's Journal of a self-proclaimed Vampire Minion...what is one to do. I thought finishing this one would cure me. It hasn't. I only want more of the Goth Girl. Oh, Mr. Moore, you pulled me in again. Not that I am surprised. (And I am not done with you. See below.)

Julia Quinn. Okay. I thought I had this one licked. I finished yet another installment of her wit, humor, sarcasm, heroes and heroines, and of course, romance. I thought I had this one. I have reread so many of her books and managed to survive. But no, she has announced the release of a follow up to What Happens in London. And I am drawn now to re-read that one. (And-preorder-a-signed-by-the-author-copy-on-line-at-a-small-extra-cost-for-shipping-that-I-would-save-in-waiting. Though wait I cannot.


[Sadly, a good portion of this list is comprised of re-reads. How is that for procrastination at it's best?]

Next, Emily the Strange, Stranger and Stranger. Yes, it is a teen fiction. Yes I am 26 and holding (I won't say for how long) but this whole Goth, darkness, black of night stuff has me caught up. (See above.)

I, Mona Lisa. I am taking this one slow. It is somewhat like a long, refreshing walk through the beauty of Medieval Italy, the sights and sounds glorious, the birds chirping, sculptures simply come alive on the page, history jumps from the page and--Wait! What's this? Murder...Mayhem...Evils of the Church! And Divinci?

Let's just say my Medieval themed Historical Novel has been fueled.

Wuthering Heights. Yes, I said it!! Yes, I am reading it again.

Shut up. Bronte has a knack for stepping in my path of prorastination in the worst way.

[*writer sighs shamfully with head down*]

I also started Fool again.

Not my fault.

It's the catchy Brit Slang! It cannot be helped! How do you put down a book that begins with "Warning: This is a bawdy tale. Herin you will find gratuitous shagging, murder, spanking, maiming, treason, and heretofore unexplored heights of vulgarity..."

And it has a map.

Right. So. All but two I am revisiting. Can you guess that my writer's side is torn between manuscripts of Medieval History, Regency Romance, Goth Teen Fiction and oh, a list of others that whisper, "you know you want to pick up something new by--"

No I don't!

(Sorry for yelling.)

When Your Brain Turns to Mush

from the archives...12 March, 2010

Writer's Block. I hate it. Typically, when nothing seems to come to my imagination in the way of a story, there is always something hovering in the recesses, and it usually comes out in the forms of my soapbox, here on my blog. Well, lately, even that has gone to mush. At least, I have no other explanation except that my brain is fried, pureed and otherwise cooked.

Where oh where has that creative surge disappeared? I will take you on my typical search in hopes of finding it:

1--Peruse the old manuscripts. You know, the files in the database that sit unread until such times that the writer in me screams, If you can't create, you can always edit! Must be productive! Well it isn't. Not productive at all. Continue on...

2--Find the manuscript that a) I haven't looked at in a while, b) contains my favorite brooding hero--sorry Ryan Harris, you are picked on often, or c) Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Mo it until one comes up at random.

3--Begin reading with the purpose of editing. Too soon, I find myself so caught up in the story (yes, even when it's one I know so well, because, you know, I wrote it) that I can no longer focus on the mispelled words and grammatical faux-pa's that linger.

4--Start over

5--One paragraph in...I check my emails. There are four of them--addresses not messages--and all of them are always full. No, not because I have that many friends, but because I have that much *spam*. [For the record, I do not surf porn.] But they tell me I am in dire need of a penis enhancement, boob job, real estate is SanDiego and Mail Order Brides. After weeding through those, I find myself where else, but on to step 6...

6--Facebook. Yes, I told myself I would get off this thing fast, but what better place to procrastinate than the fun world of games, apps and the need to comment on everyone elses comments because you of all people, have something to say? And don't say MySpace is the alternative answer. I tried that. I signed up for one day--one--with the purpose of plugging my newly-published-and-awesome-book-everyone-should-read*buy here* and my first mesage was from Pedro looking for "a good time because, hey, you look cute and I like romance, too." Really? No, I believe I said I WRITE romance dipshit. Aaaaaand DELETE ACCOUNT.

Right, so back on track. Editing. Oooo...havn't checked my website in a while...

7--Check for guestbook signatures on my Website. And....oh, five new ones! Yay! It's always exciting to get that much cherished feedback from someone interested in my writing, someone who took the time to--Wait a sec...Mail Order Brides!! Since this website is for my writing, and I am married. With children. And not a Lesbian...I delete those, too, and send a complaint to the website creators.

Inevitably, I end up here, blogging about not being able to write. Until now, I didn't even get so far as to spill out the words. My only other choice (aside from looking for new pics of my favorite Rock Star Guitarist to post on my desktop--oh, what a dreamboat) in adding to my heaps of procrastination is reading other people's blogs. So begins the last of all steps....

8. Blogsites. Well, I have found a new one.

Thank you, "Bat Shit Crazy Cute" for your multitudes of humor, whimsey and laugh-out-loud notes. It is thanks to people like you that I have much else to procrastinate about. I will never write another book, I think, because I have found myself stuck perusing and laughing and having an absolute blast. I have become enthralled over the past 2 days, not writing, editing or researching, but reading a soapbox of which is not mine. This one truly should be published into a book of it's own.

Not all is lost. I have been inspired. I am, after all, back to writing at this moment, even if only on my dear Blogsite I have long since ignored.