tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post1866036253073806192..comments2024-03-27T23:13:43.597-05:00Comments on Prairie Rose Publications: THE CHICKEN NUGGET CURE FOR BLANK PAGE BLUES - BY SHAYNA MATTHEWSLivia J Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958199886826207363noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-90727592419365814232016-01-27T20:40:06.099-06:002016-01-27T20:40:06.099-06:00Tex, aside from the bouts of creative language I&#...Tex, aside from the bouts of creative language I'm tempted to shower you with from time to time, you surely do have a way of making me laugh. (Even when I'm scheming with my posse to jump on your trail). Knowing how terrifying it is within my own mind, I can only imagine getting lost in yours....ahhhhhhh!! ;-) At the risk of admitting you and I have something in common, I also come up Shayna Matthewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07211023762774649147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-46972961883564320282016-01-27T20:14:48.869-06:002016-01-27T20:14:48.869-06:00I've tried both free writing and morning pages...I've tried both free writing and morning pages. What I learned is that my mind is a scary place to be, and no one -- including me -- wants to get lost in there. In the interest of preserving mankind as a species, I promised never to do either writing exercise again.<br /><br />What often gets me unstuck is taking a shower. Consequently, I take a LOT of showers. I may be the cleanest person I Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05740371055384281988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-66454648231271167972016-01-27T13:44:30.197-06:002016-01-27T13:44:30.197-06:00Relieving stress is a difficult task sometimes, bu...Relieving stress is a difficult task sometimes, but if it can be broken through, or at least shoved aside for a few hours, you're right--the words will flow! :-) Thank you for commenting! Shayna Matthewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07211023762774649147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-91389645882285415422016-01-27T13:42:46.693-06:002016-01-27T13:42:46.693-06:00Aww, well thank you, Barb. Your kind words are qui...Aww, well thank you, Barb. Your kind words are quite appreciated! Loud music is a staple for me, my mood plummets if I don't listen to good music every day. Many stories, scenes and plots got their start from an inspired musical moment for me. Don't worry, people who know me immediately dismiss me as "a writer" and those who don't can go ahead and wonder, for I too talk to Shayna Matthewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07211023762774649147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-46292125490247305192016-01-27T13:38:49.718-06:002016-01-27T13:38:49.718-06:00Lucky woman, Doris! This is my current struggle, s...Lucky woman, Doris! This is my current struggle, shoveling the "gunk" from my brain to make room for the story, and my creativity. I've had to resort to chicken nuggets from time to time, that's for sure! lolShayna Matthewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07211023762774649147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-56100272269300545652016-01-27T13:37:13.681-06:002016-01-27T13:37:13.681-06:001500 words a day is a solid goal, and good advice....1500 words a day is a solid goal, and good advice. Even if you wind up scrapping a few days' worth of work, at least you are keeping up the habit of writing every day. Shayna Matthewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07211023762774649147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-66513416143560560802016-01-27T13:32:47.435-06:002016-01-27T13:32:47.435-06:00Perhaps that is what I should call my infuriating ...Perhaps that is what I should call my infuriating habit of mindless tasks leading up to actual writing. I have to mull things over, stress, and prolong the writing by finding excuses such as needing a drink, or the dogs have to go out again, before I tackle sitting down and putting words to paper. Thank you for reading, Celia! <br />Shayna Matthewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07211023762774649147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-44977614372851814382016-01-27T13:30:30.702-06:002016-01-27T13:30:30.702-06:00Sarah, thank you so much for your reply. Glad you ...Sarah, thank you so much for your reply. Glad you caught that--barriers to putting words on paper has, as you said, nothing to do with lack of creativity, but internal conflicts and the stresses and distractions of daily life. Fighting our way through all that mess is most of the battle, sometimes. <br /> I've always been a pantster, flying wherever the characters take me, though to a Shayna Matthewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07211023762774649147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-80102228701647205312016-01-27T12:01:41.418-06:002016-01-27T12:01:41.418-06:00I'll skip the chicken nuggets, thank you, but ...I'll skip the chicken nuggets, thank you, but you reminded me of this great exercise. Just write what comes to mind. If I'm really blocked, I give myself a break and do anything else. Basically, relieving the stress opens the flow again. Thanks!Diana Tobinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10825874649763693468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-24169144486328616532016-01-27T11:43:29.616-06:002016-01-27T11:43:29.616-06:00I always enjoy your blogs Shayna. You have such a ...I always enjoy your blogs Shayna. You have such a way with words. This piece on writers is right on spot. When I get writer's block I clean...and listen to very loud music. Somehow it clears my head. I do most of my planning out scenes at night while in bed. Also while driving and if I am mumbling to myself folks around me might think I'm a bit touched in the head talking to myself and Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09396020400398531264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-49696005653493663122016-01-27T10:53:24.025-06:002016-01-27T10:53:24.025-06:00Sarah's comment about morning pages, which you...Sarah's comment about morning pages, which your concept reminded me of, is suppose to get all the 'gunk' out of the brain so creativity can flow. Thankfully, the blank page has never been a huge problem for me, probably due to all the improvisational acting I've done over the years. Still chicken nuggets is a good thing. Doris McCraw/Angela Raines-authorRenaissance Womenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045401344374224512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-69247425431889766632016-01-27T09:51:08.207-06:002016-01-27T09:51:08.207-06:00A writing sprint is always useful. Lately, I just ...A writing sprint is always useful. Lately, I just have a set word count I need to hit. I keep it low and manageable--just 1500 words/day. Sometimes I can't think of anything to write but somehow I squeeze out something. That usually leads to the next thing and it starts flowing again.Kristy McCaffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17363740420272046549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-90748634691191455912016-01-27T09:40:34.397-06:002016-01-27T09:40:34.397-06:00I piddle. This in itself is an art. It's mindl...I piddle. This in itself is an art. It's mindless--in other words, it clears my mind of such nonsense as "oh, woe is me, what to write?" Piddling involves straightening the drawer on my desk--pens, pencils, pads, etc. I could all kinds of boring tasks. After tiring of all that, I sit down at the computer once more....sometimes it works, some times it doesn't. Good article, Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16272417114895975742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-65756170084778018302016-01-27T08:13:40.989-06:002016-01-27T08:13:40.989-06:00I am well acquainted with stall-outs and writer...I am well acquainted with stall-outs and writer's block0...unfortunately. Though you didn't say it, you intimated the truth about these barriers to placing words on paper--it has nothing to do with the loss of creativity. It's more like, as you mentioned, indecision and some internal conflict that keeps us from putting words down. <br />I'm a plotter, so my stories are always Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.com