Writer’s Block & Taking on the Page

This week, every time I approached the blank page - and I mean every time - I was convinced that I’ve been an impostor and that I have fooled myself and others into believing that I can contribute writing that moves… compels … inspires… matters….

I write a sentence, as I did about two hours ago.  But it quickly dies.  You perhaps understand what I’m talking about. It’s happened before: my index finger anxiously sits over the backspace key until the rubbish is obliterated.  A new sentence turns into a paragraph, but to the virtual trashcan it goes.  The paragraph grows into a page, a page that no one will read because no longer will it land near the wicker wastepaper basket of yesterday, which once overflowed with crimpled paper.  There, at least a curious reader (usually my husband) could have found it to later remind me that it is worth pursuing… that I should get back to it - soon.  But now, no one will find these words because while I wait for a glimpse of genius to strike, with a few clicks of the mouse I diligently empty the contents of my e-trash.

Yes! Writer’s block plagues the writing teacher too, especially one who has allowed life to crowd out her craft, and it should if the teacher will continue to relate to the student.

But when the writing teacher must confront the call to be a writer and her commitment to that call, the teacher and the student are one.  So here I am, still waiting for that stroke of genius, writing about the only thing that occupies my mind.  But first, I had to check my email, return two phone calls, chat with a colleague about the ominous economic recession, and evade the blank page to do a Google search on what else? Writer’s block.

It turned out to be an auspicious moment after all. I found some gems at Poynteronline, particularly from Chip Scalan’s column, Chip on Your Shoulder, which helped me refocus.  Chip echoes words I have heard before and even repeated to my students.  But today, I am the student, and the words are timely to soothe my wounded ego, confidence, and stamina.

Before I go and heed Chip’s Best Writing Tip of All Time: Sit, I dedicate my last few minutes of procrastination to anyone who, like me, needs a reminder and kick in the pants. Here’s what this student needed to remember today:

• 1. Being Blocked is Part of the Process
• 2. The writing life is paradoxical (accept it!)
• 3. “Cutting” is a good thing

Now, with these words let’s go and take on the blank page!

I believe that the so-called “writing block” is a product of some kind of disproportion between your standards and your performance … One should lower his standards until there is no felt threshold to go over in writing. It’s easy to write. You just shouldn’t have standards that inhibit you from writing.                 
                             — by William Stafford (qted. by Chip Scalan)

Apostrophe First Impressions

Apostrophe misuse reveals carelessness.  Mastering the apostrophe requires intention, especially for writers that want to be taken seriously.  Apostrophe blunders annoy readers, writing teachers, and editors — something serious writers that care about their audience can’t afford.  There’s no reason to submit or publish work with apostrophe errors because reference sources to help us abound.  In fact, a staple tool of the trade is a good writer’s reference manual.  I have several, but Diana Hacker’s is an excellent one and comes with a companion website where writers can take quizzes and test their mastery of grammar, style, and more. 

Now, I could take the time to add to the plentiful apostrophe literature to help writers identify and correct their errors. Instead, let me share some gaffes that I have encountered lately and give you a challenge:  if you can’t identify the errors in the following phrases, follow one of the links below and learn to master the ubiquitous punctuation mark once and for all (scroll to the end of the page for corrected phrases):

• Wishing you Seasons Greeting
• Writer’s who make money
• It’s name says it all
• Pray for our troop’s
• Ladie’s Room
• Hand it over and nobody get’s hurt
• The company is celebrating it’s 25^th anniversary
• Our bank notifies all it’s customers of potential fraud
• Its everyones’ prerogative
• I own two PC’s and a MAC

Sites to help you master the apostrophe

OWL: Online Writing Lab at Purdue University (short, sweet, and to the point)

The Apostrophe Protection Society

Apostrophe: End the abuse

Apostrophe Use Crib Sheet

Learn from other’s mistakes: apostrophe faux pas illustrated

Apostrophe Abuse Illustrated at Carpe Diem

Apostrophe Abuse (a whole blog dedicated to the subject)

The Only Good Apostrophe User

Grammar Cop: Lettuce Take a Moment

Sharon Colon’s Collection of Apostrophe Errors

Apostrophe’s (A blogger’s unavoidable list)

Quiz Challenge:

Take a quiz, learn, and avoid mistakes that can ruin a good first impression.

Corrected Phrases:

Wishing You Season’s Greeting (Possessive: Greetings of the Season)

Writers who make money (Plural: more than one writer)

Its name says it all (Possessive pronoun)

Pray for our troops (Plural)

Ladies Room (Plural)

Hand it over and nobody gets hurt (Third person verb form)

The company is celebrating its 25^th anniversary (Possessive pronoun)

Our bank notifies all its customers of potential fraud (Possessive pronoun)

It’s everyones’ prerogative (Contraction for “It is”)

I own two PCs and a MAC (Plural acronym)

Applauding Lean Prose

This is one of my favorite reminders to cut the fat! from master Wordsmith and storyteller, Max Lucado.  It was sent to me by a fellow writer, and I’m sharing it with you.

Here’s a toast to the simple sentence. Here’s a salute to one-liners. Join me in applauding the delete key and the eraser.  May we feast on the trimmings of the writer’s table.  I believe in brevity.  Cut the fat and keep the fact.  Give us words to chew on, not words to wade through.  Thoughts that spark, not lines that drag.  More periods. Fewer commas.  Distill it. Barebone it. Bareknuckle it. Concise (but not cute).  Clear (but not shallow). Vivid (but not detailed). That’s good writing. That’s good reading.  But that’s hard work! But, it’s what we like.  We appreciate the chef who cuts the gristle before he serves the steak.  We salute the communicator who does the same.  Ahhh, brevity.  An art apparently unheeded in the realms of insurance brochures and some-assembly required bicycle manuals.  We learn brevity from Jesus.  His greatest sermon can be read in eight minutes (Mathew 5-7).  His best-known story can be read in ninety seconds (Luke 15:11-32).  He summarized prayer in five phrases (Mathew 12:29-31), and he reduced all his teachings to one command (John 15:12).  He made his point and went home.

We preachers would do well to imitate. (What’s that old line? “Our speaker today needs no introduction, but he could use a conclusion.”) I believe in brevity.  I believe that you, the reader, entrust me, the writer, with your most valued commodity—your time.  I shouldn’t take more than my share.  For that reason, I love the short sentence.  Bit-time game it is.  Hiding in the jungle of circular constructions and six-syllable canyons.  As I write, I hunt. And when I find, I shoot.  Then I drag the treasure out of the trees and marvel.  Not all of my prey make their way into chapters.  So what becomes of them? I save them. 

Note:  I’m in the process of locating the source for this quote.  If you have a clue, I’d appreciate it.

Challenge: Do you have a short piece of writing that can use some intentional defating?  Share your before and after with us or share a small paragraph that can use some help from your fellow wordsmiths.