Wednesday Writerly Way ~ Sometimes Real Life Happens

I live in my own little world...

I've got these t-shirts in a rainbow of colors. It says..."I live in my own little world but it's okay they know me here."

I usually wear one of them when I get on a roll writing because truly I'm lost in my own little world. It's grand when it happens. It's a high point in any writer's life. But sometimes real life happens and it stops my escape into my own little world of writing.

I've now been gone almost four months from forward progress of my WIP, Don't Get Your Panties in a Wad. Gone so long in fact, I've lost all forward momentum. That's hard for any writer to admit. Yes, I have my notes on stories I wanted to write but the need to write has quieted to a whisper because of real life stomping so hard on my desire to write.

I've had two weeks now to try and get it back by not blogging and focusing on writing. I've wasted all of that time looking at a blank screen. It's not writer's block because I can't type anything. Even writing about it here is like pulling teeth to get the words on the page.

Let me back up a bit. The reality of life saw one son-in-law arrested and now facing federal internet charges (20 years without parole). My husband had twelve nerves burned for pain control (four at a time). I've dealt with my Fibromyalgia, stroke recovery, rehab stoppage because the Botox wore off leading to nonstop muscle spasticity, a pinched nerve in my neck causing a constant lava like sensation in my neck and arms, three daughters filing for divorce from their husbands (longest married was 10 years), and a host of other real life issues came crashing down on me in typical Murphy's Law type fashion.

It was enough to zap every ounce of creative juice right out of my body not to mention my aphasia which compounds my writing efforts. I know the above sounds like a lot to a lot of people but it's just a quarter of a year for the Murphey Saga household. (Like I said my life is a bad soap opera) Crazy ain't it! Of and lest I forget, all my son-in-laws, save one, and daughters putting their difference aside to make my home handi-capable over the past month. God love each and every one of them.

Usually to get my creative juices back I would attend a writer's conference, or frequent Compuserve's Books and Writers Forum, or a real life getaway. But my Southeastern Writers Conference slipped by without me. It's local so I could have driven to it. The Forum just frustrates me further with so many making progress while real life is kicking me in the fanny. Everything going on has kept me right in the thick of things so getting together with even local writers has been impossible.

So what am I to do? Sit still and breathe. Recharge my batteries a bit more before even opening my word processor. When I fill my bottle with creative juices again, I'll write. How do I refill it? I'll watch some television. I'll read some more books maybe switch genres of my standard fare. I'll enjoy my garden and go to the beach some more. There's something about being surrounded by nature that clear my head. I'll cook more and probably eat more (not a good thing).

I'll do what normal nonwriters do...not write or think about writing. Yeah, it's a pipe dream and won't really happen.I even thought about stopping blogging. You can see how well that turned out. I'm still here! Talking to writers and readers alike. I settled on suspending my Tuesday blog because I'm facing a renewed time crunch of doctors and therapies again for us, and trying to make the transition period easier for six of our grandchildren... more grandma and grandpa time for continuity and abundant love.

In the meantime, y'all...
Keep writing and loving the Lord