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Friday, 7 January 2011

Make it happen

I’ve had a short story idea poking me with a stick for months and yet it ran away every time I tried to pin it to paper. After repeated efforts involving a lasso, bear traps, and strategically placed chocolate, I finally had a paragraph. I didn’t even like it very much. It seemed the little story wasn’t meant to be.

Today didn’t feel like an auspicious writing day. For a start I’m at work, puzzling over a system and a thingy and a whatsit. Systems, thingys and whatsits do not make me feel very creative. I also feel a bit poorly; a bit flu-ish and sickly and pathetic-cough. The stars weren’t aligned; the magic writing fairy was snoring in a corner. The last thing I wanted to do during lunch was take myself to a coffee shop and try and write. So where did I end up?




That’s right; I did it anyway.

And you know what? The little story idea let me catch it for a short while. I managed to scribble nearly two pages, all the while frowning horribly, biting my pen, chuckling to myself and displaying all known signs of Mad Woman Writing in Public. All too soon the imaginary timer pinged and I had to come back to the office, but this time I have two pages of story, and despite the system, thingy and whatsit; despite the flu-ish, sickly, and pathetic-cough; I feel rather happy.

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32 comments:

  1. Unknown7 January 2011 at 15:24

    Mad Woman Writing In Public - ahahaha!! But that is, of course, my favorite kind of woman :) Probably because I'm very frequently the Mad Woman Writing In Public, too.

    Glad you're happy!! hurray for making it happen!

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  2. J.B. Chicoine7 January 2011 at 15:51

    Nothing quite like that feeling! Had I been sitting anywhere nearby, I would have recognized the look and smiled. I hope you get another serendipitous moment or two...

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  3. Anonymous7 January 2011 at 15:54

    Well done!
    And this is a real fun post too. Thanks for this.

    All the best, Boonie

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  4. Out on the prairie7 January 2011 at 15:59

    It's a start Jayne, and since it doesn't say THE END , it continues on. I wrote over 150 pages and one day tossed it, my ideas had changed.It was good practice however.I have been involved in some grant writing, and after weeks of saying the right thing,recieved two paragraphs saying thanks but NO.

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  5. Katie Anderson7 January 2011 at 16:03

    I think it's because the writing muse knew that you weren't expecting her....!

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  6. Rachna Chhabria7 January 2011 at 16:35

    Best thing to do is to keep writing.
    You bribe your muse with chocolates? I have not used that as a bait. Will do so in future. :)

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  7. Brandi Guthrie7 January 2011 at 16:56

    Congrats! That's the way to do it!

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  8. Happy Frog and I7 January 2011 at 17:06

    Well done, that's inspired me to make some time to write tomorrow even though I really don't feel like it. I hope you feel better soon though, try and get some rest over the weekend if you can. x

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  9. Anonymous7 January 2011 at 17:11

    Jayne, I'm so impressed that you wrote in your lunch break even though it didn't feel like an auspicious writing day and you were a little bit poorly.

    Hope you feel better during the weekend. Best wishes to the story.

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  10. Angelina Rain7 January 2011 at 17:16

    Congratulations. Two pages are better than none! I’ve written only two pages this whole week, too busy with edits, and attempting to promote my upcoming anthology, and trying to find a day job in an economy where no place is hiring.

    Good luck with your writing!

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  11. Pat Tillett7 January 2011 at 17:45

    Sometimes even a good paragraph or sentence feels like a minor victory!

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  12. Joanne Ganley7 January 2011 at 18:29

    Sometimes when I'm feeling poorly the writing seems to power through. Awesome! Love the Mad Woman - completely adore her. :)

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  13. Golden Eagle7 January 2011 at 18:43

    Congrats on writing some of your story!

    That happens to me, too--even when I don't feel like writing, sometimes the words will come out anyway. :)

    I hope you feel better soon!

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  14. Fran Hill7 January 2011 at 19:33

    Take a merit! You deserve it, for pushing through like that.

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  15. M.K. Nissen7 January 2011 at 20:34

    Good for you! Keep pluggin' away at even if you think the creative well is dry. It will always come back to you.

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  16. Old Kitty7 January 2011 at 22:16

    Well done you for fighting against the odds and getting your story down on paper!!!! Handwritten too! Wow!!

    Now please rest and get better and don't go to work! :-) Take care
    x

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  17. Elizabeth Varadan, Author7 January 2011 at 23:24

    Congratulations. It always feels so good when you accomplish something after feeling you weren't going to! Two pages sounds pretty impressive to me. One of your baits must have worked! :-)

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  18. floweringmama8 January 2011 at 01:58

    Nothing like strategically placed chocolate!

    Feel better soon!!

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  19. Susan Fields8 January 2011 at 05:10

    Hooray! I'm glad the story let you catch it, at least for a little while. I hope it comes back tonight when you don't have a system, thingy, or whatsit to get in the way.

    Good luck!

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  20. Maggie May8 January 2011 at 15:57

    Good luck with it! Looks intriguing! Can't quite read it though! LOL!
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May

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  21. Anonymous8 January 2011 at 22:11

    You should feel happy, Jayne! You ended up catching that story that's
    been bugging you.

    Sure, it might not be the best that it can be, but it will take time for you to edit it and make it that dream story that you want it to be.

    Write on and good luck with the traps for your next story!

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  22. The Words Crafter9 January 2011 at 17:40

    Reading this made me smile. It's just so perky, like an 'in your face' to the whatsits thingy system and the germ-bug that's trying to take you down. Ha! Good for you!

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  23. Kittie Howard9 January 2011 at 19:33

    Ahhhh, perfect! You made it happen. Save those pages for when you're famous! And I hope that thingy bug takes a hike and you feel better.

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  24. Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O.J. Barré9 January 2011 at 22:51

    Thank you so much for reminding me to ignore the lazy, procrastinator that sits on my shoulder whispering seductions of all nature in my ear.

    Time for me to say, "Just shut up and write already!!"

    ~thanks bunches, that rebel, Olivia

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  25. Anonymous10 January 2011 at 11:46

    What a wonderful image of you as a mad woman writing in public. I love the look of your handwriting. I must say I usually feel inspired in the oddest places, like the shower.:O)

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  26. Ev10 January 2011 at 17:08

    Well done you! It's so long since I had that nice - well I made a start feeling - that I am in danger of losing my 'mad woman in Swords Starbucks with pencil and notebook and tendency to mutter to herself' title. Oh dear! I do hope no other mad Woman will take it. I'll just have to get back to it, can't have a hard won title being challenged! Good luck with story.

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  27. Talli Roland11 January 2011 at 17:51

    Yay! Well done Jayne! That's ben one of my biggest revelations this year -- that I can still write no matter what I feel like!

    Sounds like you have a good story there.

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  28. Roxy13 January 2011 at 03:12

    I love ideas when they let me catch them. Congrats on the inspiration!

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  29. Dolly13 January 2011 at 09:41

    Hiya popping over from Froggy's Lilypad to have a look at the other cat and mew-lover. Great post made me smile sadly in sympathy though I am not a writer as such, this happens to me when I have a picture in my head and my paintbrushes don't seem to work that day :-)

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  30. Eliza13 January 2011 at 18:50

    Glad you managed to pin it down, hope you feel better soon.

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  31. Margo Benson14 January 2011 at 19:35

    Sometimes it's so hard to hold down the squirming tale and sometimes even once sentence can be exhausting. I am new to your blog and delighted to pop over.
    Have a great (and relaxing) weekend.

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  32. J.C. Martin14 January 2011 at 21:11

    Well done!

    And just to let you know that you are my Friday Follower and your blog's being showcased over at mine. :)

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