Musings from the Middle of Nowhere

I’ve been finding it so hard to write everyday. I’m sure a lot of writers go through dry spurts, but I’m finding that it takes more and more to get myself to sit down and write. So, the question that I’m posing (to myself, naturally) is WHY? What is stopping me from writing? Why is it stopping me? How can I remedy this situation? So far, this is what I’ve discovered:

· I don’t make writing a priority, or “keep my appointments” – if I logged onto Blogger or opened up a Word document to write instead of logging into Facebook or Google Reader I probably wouldn’t be writing this post (although sometimes I get good ideas for writing from blogs I read). I think I’m still partially viewing writing as a chore, especially when I don’t have anything interesting to write about.
· Lack of computer/internet access – this one really is a lame excuse, but it’s true. I hate to hand write anything, so I don’t write anything other than post-its if I don’t have my laptop with me. Plus, when I’m at Josh’s (my boyfriend) house, I don’t have Internet access to post anything or get inspired.
· I’m busy – again, another lame excuse, but between the 2 weddings, 2 bachelorette parties, 3 family get-togethers, and 2 birthday parties this month, I’ve only been in my house long enough to sleep and shower. Plus, with the free fair in town, the past 4 nights have been spent visiting with old friends and taking in shows.

So, the important question is how do I remedy these issues? Make writing a priority – I’m pretty sure that this would cure the whole situation, but it’s easier said than done. I’ve developed a pseudo-system for my blog topics. First, I read some pages from my assigned texts, then if nothing strikes me to write about, I try to write something of my own. If nothing comes to me, I head out in search of blogs for inspiration. With the exception of today, I’ve pretty much been successful. To be fair, today I thought it would be helpful to myself if I thought through the reasons that I was having trouble writing. When I make writing a priority, I think the rest will fall into place. Instead of feeling like work, it will be something that naturally happens in my daily routine, similar to brushing my teeth or grabbing my purse before I leave the house. At least I hope that’s what happens. Then, even though I’m busy, my writing will have a little more time carved out of my schedule. Also, I think it would be helpful if I carry a small journal of some sort in my purse (it’s definitely big enough to hold a 5 subject notebook!) and get used to jotting ideas down as they come to me. I need to break my dependency on my laptop and train myself to write the old fashioned way – pen and ink! Maybe if I get more used to that, I won’t limit my brain to think about writing only when I’m in front of my computer…

Wish me luck!