Navbar-Links


HOME    |    RICKGUALTIERI.COM    |    CONTACT    |    NEWSLETTER    |    TWITTER    |    FACEBOOK

Apr 10, 2012

The Blogging Doldrums

I’m currently in the middle of writing The Mourning Woods, the third book in my foul-mouthed comedy series about a dorky vampire named Bill who’s been thrust into a world he isn’t ready for, and that definitely isn’t ready for him. Being smack dab in the middle of what I call writing mode definitely has its perks, not the least of which is constantly being able to pull more and more ideas out of the old grey matter. However, there is one definite drawback. For some reason, whenever I am in writing mode, that portion of my brain that comes up with blog post ideas just up and burns out.

I don’t know if it’s an inability to multitask or a laser like focus on one task (as if!), but whenever you see an extended break in my posting it means one thing. Well ok, it might mean two things. After all I could’ve been hit by a bus. But more than likely, barring any obituaries showing up in your local paper regarding bald men with hard to pronounce Italian names, it means that I’m busy killing off my brain cells in the mad pursuit of finishing another book.

No idea why my mind works this way, after all one would think that all of our creative ideas come from one place, and if that lump of cells can spit out a plot point for one thing, then surely it came do so for another. Yet, it is sadly not so with me. It’s like one part of my mind gets a boost to it’s sails, while at the same time another winds up adrift in the Sargasso Sea, just floating around waiting for some passing Kraken to drag it screaming down to the depths. Or it could just be that the various lobes in my head somehow wound up unionizing when I wasn’t paying attention. One side punches in, while the other goes on vacation and leaves its cell phone at home. Stupid brain! See if I pay you overtime.

When calls came out for the A-Z Blog Challenge, I was like “yeah right!” I knew I’d be lucky to get out one post, let alone 26. More power to the bloggers embarking on that insanity. I’d be lucky to get out 26 words for that challenge, much less 26 well thought out posts. Fortunately, with the challenge going on, there’s plenty of posting material out there and I’m sure people aren’t really missing me right now. All in all, it’s probably not a bad time to disappear.

So that’s where I am right now. I expect this webpage to be relatively fallow (unless some eager bloggers wish to guest post...*hint* *hint*, *nudge* *nudge*) for the next few weeks while I continue to polish my latest literary masterpiece (translation: vampire dick jokes). Until then...

9 comments:

Jonathan D Allen said...

I hear you. I seem to have the same problem, only mine occurs during the editing phase. Lately I have a handful of ideas from before stocked up, and I kind of do a seat-of-my-pants thing for the rest. Hang in there!

CarrieVS said...

I'm in exactly the same place. But I'd rather that than bashing out blog post after post and not getting any writing done. I'm still without fail on the daily 1000 words, so I can hardly complain about lack of productivity.
Hope you're getting along well with Bill.

Rick G said...

Jonathan,

I'm kind of the opposite. Editing mode seems to be fertile with log posts. Weird. :)

Rick G said...

Hey, Carrie,

Glad to hear the gods of productivity are continuing to smile upon you. Keep at it.

Oh and Bill is doing just fine. He'll be guest posting this weekend and his new book is coming along swimmingly. :)

Tammy said...

Hi Rick, who among us hasn't suffered from a blank mind? If you see any hands raised be assured they are being less than truthful. I guess my strength is that I write about whatever I'm dealing with (squirrels, crazy neighbors, politics, and the lack of humanity) whether or not my readers want to hear it is another matter. It all seems to work out okay. But I'll tell you that when I hear, read or see something that sparks an idea, I dictate it to my phone (I have an app for that). Then if pressed, I play my stuff back and little light bulb goes off in my head and my fingers get busy. My posts vary from serious topics to silliness. Ya just never know. I'm thinking you're chocked full of both. Get crackin' mister!

Rick G said...

I will certain try. :)

Thanks, Tammy.

Allan Douglas said...

Lately I've been stuck in "promo mode". It's getting to where I'm using that as an excuse to put off writing. Not good. Time to cut back on the social media junk and get back to work. Good luck with Mourning Woods, Rick!

Crazy Life of a Writing Mom said...

My brain works on only three settings lately: "novel mode," "short story mode" and "promo mode." Ug. At the end of my life maybe I will master the trinity of writing and be able to do all things simultaneously yet separately lol ;)

J.L. Campbell said...

I know I was crazy to take on the A-Z. I haven't been able to concentrate on anything much this month and it's a critical time for me. :(