Sunday, November 21, 2010

Barren wastes

Me and my muse appear to be having an estrangement at the moment. Which is unfortunate as I've got a ton and a half of stuff needing to be turned into deathless prose, most of which is, unfortunately, work-related. There are project outlines to sketch out; a couple of training plans; some presentations and a couple of articles, hopefully for publication. Which is all usually just fine, I can just jump in there and get it all done in next to no time, in between swearing at telephones and drawing rude things on people's newspapers. Except that I can't. Over the past few months the well has been running increasingly dry and I really don't know why. The ideas are still there and I can still come up with one or two sentences or phrases that will hang an argument on the bannister but actually writing them all up coherently is definitely a serious struggle lately. Given that I am, essentially, an ineffectual dreamer this is a bit of a blow. Being able to share a vision with people who have drive but less imagination is my sole defence against the charge of fecklessness. I have no easy answers. And I have a difficult relationship with reality in the first place. There's no actual antagonism, it's just that we share so few frames of reference we find it difficult to connect amiably. But I wouldn't like anyone to be cruel to it; I like to see it dressed up and looking its best for the occasion.


Must try harder.

10 comments:

Lulu LaBonne said...

Are these wastes any connection to the Barren Knights?

Pat said...

It must be catching - I have the same probs.

worm said...

ditto Kevin! I currently have whole weeks where I just can't even write a text message, let alone anything of edification to others.

Gareth Williams said...

Why not get the engine warmed up by writing out 'must try harder' one hundred times?

Joking. I'm not writing as much as I was a year ago. Funny how it happens isn't it?

savannah said...

i with you, sugar! xoxox

nursemyra said...

You need a holiday

Charlie said...

If there are any staterooms left on the HMS Missing Muse, I would like to book passage to wherever the hell the rest of you are going.

A collective sigh of frustration. **collective sigh**

Madame DeFarge said...

I am in midst blank page at work too. Maybe it's the nature of what I've having to write these days. Hardly fun and frolics in the HMS Public Service. You have my empathy. Hope all well.

Kevin Musgrove said...

Yup. It's unanimous. We need a shindig.

Murr Brewster said...

It ain't unanimous. I'm writing my fanny off. I don't know WHAT's wrong with y'all.