Powering through @Liz Flaherty

The pastor asked last week during his sermon what I did when I was blocked, when the words just weren't there. He caught me unaware, so my answer was neither profound nor well thought out. I said, paraphrasing here, that you just power through and do it because it's, well...it's just what you do.

So yesterday I came into the office to write my post for this morning. And I had nothing. The post I'd planned went onto the page like a series of unconnected words. If I were reading blogs on Monday morning with my coffee, I'd have skipped right on over it.

Then I opened my WIP--both of them; whatever made me think I could write two stories at once?--and even though I was happy with what was there, I had nothing new to add. I closed the files and sewed for a couple of hours with the TV as anonymous company in the background, and wondered if This Was It. Had my writing voice dried up?

Like forever?

This morning, I still don't have words. I still don't feel like writing. But I probably will, because my heart tells me no, this isn't It--I still have stories to tell.

Powering through. It's just what we do, isn't it?

Have a great week.

Liz

Comments

  1. Man, sometimes it feels to me like the pastor is saying my name during her sermon, but I don't think she's actually ever done it! But you're answer was perfect--powering through is just what we do, even if powering means writing six sentences that tomorrow we'll read and roll our eyes and wonder what we were thinking. And yes, my friend, you do still have stories to write--they'll be along, just as they always have been. Hopefully, mine will be too... Hugs.

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    1. Thanks, Nan. That's what happens in a small church--no one minds calling you out! :-)

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  2. that feeling is the worst...but I agree - we power through..because it's what we do. You have great stories to tell...

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    1. Thanks, Kristi. And you're right--it's feeling pretty bad today. :-(

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  3. Yes, this! If we always waited for the muse to strike, we'd probably still be writing our first story!

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  4. Sometimes putting one foot in front of the other, or writing one word after another are all we can do. But this will not persist forever. Things change and we find our muse and joy again. Keep writing my dear. You have many more stories to tell.

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  5. I love the moment when the powering through breaks down the wall and you're no longer powering through but writing because the words are falling from your fingers so fast you couldn't stop if you wanted to because the dam has broken. Every word you power through is removing a brick from your dam.

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  6. What everybody said. This is simply a phase, one we all go through. Maybe it's your mind's way of working through a plot point. Like Margie said, eventually the dam will break and you won't be able to stop the words. Hang in there.

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    1. I know, but it happens more often than it used to and it scares me every time!

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  7. Been there...just recently again. Each time the question takes me to a deeper level of knowing that I'm not going to stop writing. For me, that question is worth paying attention to because it is an opportunity to do what is right for me. The last time, a few weeks ago, it told me I had to take a break and let my mind rest, not because I was out of words but life and writing was requiring a lot.

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    1. Taking a break is such a good idea and one I'm always afraid to do because...gasp...what if I never come back to work? I'm not an obsessive person, but every now and then a little bit slips in. :-) Thanks, Lynn!

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