A reply to Aquinas wired about writer’s block

A reply to Aquinas wired about writer’s block

The china figure of Peter Rabbit in my own collection, along with some the many neighbors he’s gained over the years. Photograph by Margaret H. Laing

My esteemed colleague, Aquinas wired, posted earlier today on his excellent blog, The Quark In The Road, asking “How Do I Break a Writer’s Block?” Catch up with the post here.

In the comments, I reminded him of Beatrix Potter’s experience with Peter Rabbit, which astute readers might remember from an earlier post. Aquinas’s reader jack also recalled my post about Writer’s block or logjam, here.

But that didn’t stop me from thinking more about the subject. It’s late enough that a bit of logjam might come in handy, but here I am instead!

In the book I’ve been nosing through for many recent posts, Mystery Writers of America’s “How to Write a Mystery,” there are some essays that go one for several pages, but then there are others that last just a few lines. For instance, and for support, here’s Gigi Pandian’s whole offering:

Don’t compare your writing and publishing journey to anyone else’s. In this strange and wonderful profession, there’s no straight line to success. “Success” doesn’t even mean the same thing from one author to the next. You can define it for yourself.

Another short essay is this whole one from Elaine Viets, full of good advice for times like this — when I didn’t know where my idea was coming from until I read The Quark In The Road:

My grandfather was a security guard. He worked weekends, holidays, and nights when temperatures plummeted below zero and frozen winds blasted the empty parking lots. He never said “I don’t feel like guarding the warehouse tonight. I’m blocked.” My grandmother babysat. She never said, “I’m not watching those brats today. I’m blocked.” So when I spoke at a high school, a student asked, “What do you do about writer’s block?”
“Writer’s block doesn’t exist,” I said. “It’s an indulgence.”

When I get stuck in my novel writing, I turn from the personal relationship between Mike and Daisy to the chemistry of the poison which (I think!) is the weapon in the case Daisy wants to help Mike solve. When I get stuck on the chemistry, it’s back to Daisy’s dorm and into the reading they like to do together. Lately, I’m going outside and collecting impressions of the heat wave, since the book is set in summer school. (It worked for the snowy scenery in their last adventure.)

On the other hand, when I get stuck in my blog writing, I look around at what others are writing. See how well that works? (I hope so!)

Filed under:
Writing

Tags:
How to Write a Mystery

Advertisement:
Advertisement:

Welcome to ChicagoNow.

Meet
our bloggers,

post comments, or

pitch your blog idea.

Meet The Blogger

Margaret H. Laing

I moved to Chicago from the south suburbs in 1986. I have diverse interests, but I love writing about what I’m interested in. Whether it’s a personal interest or part of my career, the correct words to get the idea across are important to me. I love words and languages — French and Scottish words enrich my American English. My career has included years as a journalist and years working in museums, and the two phases were united by telling stories. I’m serious about words and stories. So here I am, ready to tell stories about words and their languages.

Subscribe by Email

Completely spam free, opt out any time.

Monthly Archives

June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014

Latest on ChicagoNow

A reply to Aquinas wired about writer’s block

from Margaret Serious by Margaret H. Laing
posted today at 9:31 pm

Biden wants to define Title IX to include gender identity.

from The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor by Dennis Byrne
posted today at 2:56 pm

How Do I Break a Writer’s Block?

from The Quark In The Road by Aquinas wired
posted today at 10:39 am

The winding path to clarity

from Cheating Death by Howard Englander
posted today at 8:00 am

Chicago’s Weekend in Beer, June 24-26

from The Beeronaut by Mark McDermott
posted Wednesday at 11:53 pm

Read these ChicagoNow blogs

Cubs Den

Chicago Cubs news and comprehensive blog, featuring old school baseball writing combined with the latest statistical trends

Pets in need of homes

Pets available for adoption in the Chicago area

Hammervision

It’s like the couch potato version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Advertisement:

About ChicagoNow

FAQs

Advertise

Recent posts RSS

Privacy policy (Updated)

Comment policy

Terms of service

Chicago Tribune Archives

Do not sell my personal info

©2022 CTMG – A Chicago Tribune website –
Crafted by the News Apps team

Read More

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *