Tuesday Twaddle - Pause for thought.

Firstly, a quick meet and greet. I'm Leigh and I'll be bringing you The Tuesday Twaddle every second and forth Tuesday of the month. Yay!  You’ll have read all the wonderful entries into the blog by my amazing and talented writer friends.  They’ve given you knowledge, insight, and shared their enlightening experiences.  Me on the other hand, well I’m just not that kind of blogger.  I suck at being serious, so I keep to the funny/acerbic side of life.  I’ll bring you tales of woe and joy as they happen to me on my path to being the best Young Adult writer to hit the shelves since they invented shelves (excluding of course all the other wonderfully talented writers who form YAtopia… and any other writer who graces these pages with their presence, you guys rock too!).

My title ‘Pause for thought’ was inspired by my current state of ‘pause’.  As I see it, writing involves lots of pauses.  Pauses haunt writers, whether it is pauses on inspiration, the dreaded long pause of writer’s block, pauses for making the kids dinner, or seeing to a neglected spouse. Pauses for contemplation, or divine interventions.  Currently, I’m on an epic pause.  And for every moment I’m on that ‘epic pause’ I’m stressing about reaching that play button.  I hate pause.  It kills inspiration, momentum, thought process, and creativity.  At this moment, I’d sell my soul for a cloven hoof to find that remote and release me from this rather uncomfortable position, but as yet I’m still holding steady, mid run, with the distorted face and semi midflight look about me. 

Here are some of my ‘Pause’ factors.

P – Procrastination – I know when I get that email I’ve been so desperately waiting for, I will automatically be able to write what I want, when I want, so there’s no point in trying now. Next week will be a much more creative week for me, I just know it.

A – Anything but syndrome - Let’s make a coffee and then I’ll rearrange the desk, Oh and check my emails.  Um, maybe I should ring my mom.  Eww, what’s that pong? Oh the cat litter tray needs seeing to…  You get my drift.

U –Unadulterated – Whereby you’re waiting for the perfect moment to write.  The house is too quiet, I just don’t feel inspired. So, we’re off the library to absorb some much needed knowledge that seeps from the walls, but it’s too cold and quite frankly a little on the whiffy side.  Oh and I need a new laptop, the keys on this one just don’t feel right.  My excuses on my quest for the ‘perfect’ writing set up are endless.

S – Social Media – I can totally justify my spending hours on end on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, MySpace, and all those other platforms.  They are the lifeblood for the want-to-be writer.  But man do they suck you dry of drive and imagination. And, nicely fulfills my P, A, and U requirements.

E – Editing – There’s nothing like a couple of rounds of savage editing and rewrites to make you go into a stall pattern.  The inspiration numbing sensation of self doubt mingles uneasily with panic and turns your brain to a big curdled lumpy mess of cottage cheese.

Now I’ve identified my pause issues, I’m sure I’ll be able to pull myself together and finish that sequel that’s been leering at me for the past two months.  And I will, as soon as I get that new Elbow album I’ve been waiting for, arrange for the delivery of my new laptop, answer all my emails, identify the location of the repugnant smell in my study, update my Facebook profile, and do all my #ff’s (followfriday for the uninitiated) on Twitter.  Wow, I’m feeling better about it already. Let's get going!

Right, firstly I’ll make pot of coffee and then I'll get right on that... I swear. 

I'd love to know what makes your evil subconscious press the pause button on you, and what you do to reanimate yourself.  Please, do share your secrets! Good Lord I need them.