Boring
How do you write when you feel like you have nothing to say -- at least nothing that you haven't already said too many times before? That's been a persistent question for me lately. I sit down, pen in hand, and there's nothing there.
Oh, I could describe the beautiful sunrise I saw yesterday morning. I could do something both tender and fierce about the challenges and rewards of motherhood. I could write something both a little funny and woe-is-me about my recent stomach virus or having multiple cats. If I didn't have a still tender stomach, I could rhapsodize about food. I could recommend a few books (Stieg Larsson. That's all I'll say.) I could share my anger about the oil disaster in the Gulf or the multitude of feelings about my two closest friends both moving hours away from here. If I had more than the remnants of a spiritual life, I could write about that. Honestly, it all feels over done. I feel boring. Though I've led a small, ordinary life, I've never been a boring person, and I have no intentions of becoming one.
That leads me to my next question. Is this writer's block or a more significant life blockage? I hate when I already know the answer to a question if I don't like the answer. I operated in crisis mode for a long time, taking care of what was right in front of me because things were both urgent and important. Illnesses, deaths, car wrecks, job losses, what a string of fun. Now, what is right in front of me is every day life. Get up, go to work, come home. Repeat. Boring.
My job is to make my life interesting again, this time without another string of crises. I want some beauty and zest back in my life. That's a real challenge, and I damn well better be up to it.
Oh, I could describe the beautiful sunrise I saw yesterday morning. I could do something both tender and fierce about the challenges and rewards of motherhood. I could write something both a little funny and woe-is-me about my recent stomach virus or having multiple cats. If I didn't have a still tender stomach, I could rhapsodize about food. I could recommend a few books (Stieg Larsson. That's all I'll say.) I could share my anger about the oil disaster in the Gulf or the multitude of feelings about my two closest friends both moving hours away from here. If I had more than the remnants of a spiritual life, I could write about that. Honestly, it all feels over done. I feel boring. Though I've led a small, ordinary life, I've never been a boring person, and I have no intentions of becoming one.
That leads me to my next question. Is this writer's block or a more significant life blockage? I hate when I already know the answer to a question if I don't like the answer. I operated in crisis mode for a long time, taking care of what was right in front of me because things were both urgent and important. Illnesses, deaths, car wrecks, job losses, what a string of fun. Now, what is right in front of me is every day life. Get up, go to work, come home. Repeat. Boring.
My job is to make my life interesting again, this time without another string of crises. I want some beauty and zest back in my life. That's a real challenge, and I damn well better be up to it.
posted by Cynthia at
11:29 PM
6 Comments:
You have the loveliest way of posing questions to which you already have the answer! The strength of your writing is watching you get there, and it is never boring.
Isn't it funny how, after living through a string of crap like that, we don't really know what to do with ourselves when things even out. That's more or less what led me to buying the restaurant. At this point, however,I wouldn't recommend it (buying a restaurant) as ideal boredom relief... ;)
I've been reading your blog for years and have loved your writing. The adjectives I would use to describe your writing would be; inspiring, witty, enchanting, interesting, informative, enlightening...and quite a few other good adjectives ending in "ing" but NEVER boring. You may feel bored with old ideas and such but honestly, I think your writing talent is such you could produce paragraphs about dryer lint and it would delight your readers. The way you describe things draws the reader in and things come to life in a very visual way. So while you may feel a little boring from time to time and get writer's block now and then, rest assured, you are NOT boring whatsoever.
Jul said it all. Read "The girl who kicked the Hornets nest" about two months ago and Wow Wow Wow. Now that was a thriller! The fight scene with the prize fighter (and I generally do not like this type of thing, I cringe and close my eyes during movies) blew me away! I read the middle book first, began the first one and was so short on time had to return it to the library barely into it. too bad such a talent passed away too soon. I believe he had 10 or more books planned for this character(s)...lol.
Y'all - thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't say it enough. About Stieg Larsson: I started with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and got so engrossed I read the entire trilogy (#2 -- The Girl Who Played With Fire, #3 -- The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest)back to back in six days. That's over 2000 pages, but I just couldn't stop.
It was the girl who played with fire....lol! I just rushed back here when I realized I had the wrong one!
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