The hand of time has writ

I just heard that Anne Richards of Texas has succumbed to Cancer. The world will not be the same without her. She was nearly the last of a dying breed of strong outspoken women who never let the "good ole boys" get away with anything.

Drawing a blank

There is no such thing as Writer's Block, only incubation periods.

The problems start when we do not allow for them. Instead of backing off and let our subconscious do its job, we poke and prod. Soon, our mind says, "Shut up, already. Can't you tell? I'm busy here!"

How often have you heard "Put it aside", "Come back to it with fresh eyes?" or some other version of "Let it rest?" Too many to count, I'll bet. And, how often have you gone to bed without a clue and awakened with words flowing so fast your fingers can't keep up? At least a time or three, I'll warrant. Both are examples of the subconscious at work.

Sometimes, the more you TRY to write, the less you accomplish.

The next time your story bogs down and refuses to move, go clean the refrigerator or mow the lawn. Go to the beach, the woods, the mountains, whatever it takes to get you away from the keyboard long enough for your subconscious to solve the riddles and write the story. It will all come out, ready to polish, sometime, if you will simply let it perk a while.

By insisting on writing NOW, when your mind is screaming, "Give me a break," you slow the creative process. The subconscious gets balky when it's pushed.

Sometimes, the piece you have in front of you is not the one your mind wants to deal with right now. Don't just sit there staring into space and swear you'll never come up with another idea. Load up a different file and see what happens. If that doesn't work, if your mind still refuses to cooperate, you can always do as I have done.

Run off a piece on non-existent writer's blocks.