When Life Gets in the Way

It seems appropriate that I should write about what a writer should do when life gets in the way of their current writing project. I'm away from home, spending time with family. Unfortunately, we are not on vacation, nor even just planning a July 4^th picnic. Instead we are watching my husband's beloved mother slip away from us.

Not only is life in limbo; but also writing. This has happened on other occasions; after September 11, 2011, Hurricane Katrina, and more personally following the death of my father, and several surgeries. Some of those didn't surprise me. The one that did was the last. After all, I had planned on getting done while recuperating.

I beat myself up a bit when I found myself unable to concentrate. Words just didn't find their way to the page. Fortunately I spoke to several other writers who have experienced the same thing. It seems one just can't plan how the brain will react to certain things, among them trauma, grief, and even anaesthesia.

Since my title implies that I know what to do when life gets in the way, I guess I should tell you. The answer may surprise you. – Do nothing. At least nothing that you feel you have to force yourself to do. So, put that project aside for a little while.

My advice – which is just what works for me – is to begin keeping a journal, expressing your feelings about what is happening around you. Express your thoughts, feelings, doubts, anything that comes to mind.

After 9-1-1 many publishers flat out said they were not going to accept anything that had to do with the events that happened that tragic day. Later after I was back to writing, I took my notes from my journal and was able to write several stories. By waiting the emotions of the day had lessened ever so slightly. The result was that the stories were published.

Some of the stories were specifically about that day. Others were tweaked and turned into other stories about something entirely different. However, the emotions were real and touched the lives of my editors, and hopefully, my readers.

Sometimes you just can't fight it. Whether you call it "Writer's Block," or just life getting in the way, write; only write about it. Life is, after all, a huge part of everything story you tell.