I did this recently. Kinda had to as my wonderful and trusty laptop of the last few years, with ALL of my documents, books in the works, and important papers is on its last legs after being in the accident with me. We both got a little borked, only my laptop is not healing, lol.
The last few articles I wrote took five plus hours. One took three days. I will not detail my frustration and anger with that whole process, you can imagine it if you're feeling frisky ;) I finally felt alright enough to go out and shop for a bluetooth keyboard so I can at least work from my android tablet while I am awaiting the insurance settlement for my damaged items.
In the meantime, I was "writing" on my cell phone, which, of course is damaged from the same tousling about the laptop and I received, but works a little faster at the moment.
But a funny thing happened while I was unable to work- my brain stopped being able to!
I write every day. It is my job. I take a few days off like holidays and important family days and such, but I would say I definitely work at least 350 days a year. It's the nature of the beast when you work from home- there's no PTO or sick days. So since the accident I've been sporadic at best with work and its making me actually lose my ability.
I rarely struggle with ideas. I can usually, 99 out of 100 times, sit down at my laptop and pound out an article. I've been doing this for so long that I am used to it. That's the thing, when you do it every day it becomes easy. Second nature if you will. I used to experience the dreaded Writers Block, but I suppose I have enough ideas stored away from years of doing what I do that it is not even an issue.
If you want to be a writer, you must write every day. Even with my brief hiatus I am starting to get rusty and having to struggle! Writing is like anything else- you have to exercise it to keep it strong ;)
Write on my friends!
Help Bless @ArbitraryKitten with @Papa-Pepper CryptoJeep Challenge!
My real life horror- the accident and PTSD
- Part 1-My Near Death Experience
- Part 2- the Accident Aftermath
- Part 3- Subtract the D from PTSD but Your Brain is Still Scrambled
- Part 4-How to Heal Mind and Body After an Accident & Helpful Advice for Your Loved Ones
- Part 4.5 What to Expect With Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury
- Part 5- The Tunnel. A Real Life Horror
- Part 6- The Journey
- Part 7-My Healing & @Papa-Pepper CryptoJeep Challenge
Trigger warning- graphic and raw.
Image via Creative Commons
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I agree. It has happened with me too. I you do something regularly ,you definitely get better at it but if you stop doing the same, you get rusty.
Same is the case with you I guess, no offense.
But I think you will regain your momentum once you start blogging again regularly. So you don't need to worry about that right now. You have your laptop and your tablet on your plate right now, get them fixed first and get going again. Thanks
No offense whatsoever :) 'tis truths!
Yes, I agree... Now that I have working equipment I will be able to do it daily again and I'll get the momentum going :(
@arbitrarykitten mam...
Life happens. With it, your ability to put words into blank spaces is relegated to the deathbed. It stretches from an off day to an off month. Bouts of illnesses in the family (the non-threatening kind), the long school break for summer, the general atmosphere of laziness all around, and before you can acknowledge the gravity of your non-writing days, the rhythm dies. Your tapping fingers come to a halt at the keyboard. The momentum that had built painstakingly over the years vanishes without a trace or warning.
No, it does not come to a screeching halt, grating your senses awake, like you had hoped. It just happens. Slowly. Almost without notice, without acknowledgment.
Writing is all about practice. When you stop writing for a period, you may find it difficult to hold a coherent thought in your head and commit it to paper (so to speak). You may end up dismissing every idea that pops up as non-sensical, and reject it before it had had the time to take shape. Unless you keep writing, you are not going to get any good at it. But since you are no good at it in the first place, you may find it difficult to let the world in on your private thoughts and witness your incompetence. It’s a vicious cycle to break.
“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.”
– Stephen King
Thanks for start great disscuss...
Wel done mam...
Absolutely! Getting into the habit of writing every day was the single most helpful thing that I've ever done in my quest to become a writer. I recently wrote a post about how daily journaling changed my life. As you've noted, it's one of the best ways to beat writer's block. Not forever though it seems... Got to keep on going.
So sorry to hear that you've been having technical difficulties. Breaking my laptop is one of my biggest fears. I'm so over-protective of it because it really it my whole life. Also totally with you on the no-days-off thing when you work from home. We're lucky though, because we love what we do so it almost doesn't seem like work. :)
Ummmm...if you wana be a good writer , I don't think writing everyday alone would do. I think I one should mix it up with reading as well and since you say you write a lot, I wonder when you have the time to read. Lol
I am sorry about your laptop but it shouldn't stop you from dishing out great contents. The laptop is gone but the ideas are still in your head.
It's a good thing you got a Bluetooth keyboard to speed up things and I am pretty certain you are gonna bounce back real soon...Just give it some time dear. The beast is still in you.
That's the thing, the ideas were in my head and that's where they'd stay as it was taking up to a minute per letter typed!
My brain became so frustrated it decided to hold a protest ;)
"while I was unable to work- my brain stopped being able to!" - you can't be serious!
Really?
I know that old people will lose certain body functions if not used sufficiently, but writing might not be one ...
I am glad that you recovered though.
It started getting laggy 😉
Use it our lose it! Lol
I'm sure this must be extremely frustrating. Good for you on powering through it and you're right, writing every day develops your skills. I hope everything settles down soon for you xxx.
It's one of those things you must keep reminding yourself "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger... "
Lol thanks hun!
My Human — who has been a writer for some 40+ years — always says that writing is a "practice," and has to be kept up just like meditation, a sport, playing an instrument or anything else. Perhaps more than most areas of creative expression, writing requires "flow." If you let that flow get away from you, it takes more and more effort to reconnect with it, the longer you've let it slip. Which (I think) must be why my Human keeps pecking away at his laptop even when he goes on holiday.
=^..^=
Oh! I guess this is why I haven't been seeing articles from you for over 3 days now. I am so sorry about the accident and I hope everything works out fine soon.
Ohhh so that's what happened that's why you're not writing for like a week...
I hope the insurance company settle your damage items fast... so you can back to writing like before everyday I'm reading your post... have a great day ms. @arbitrarykitten
While I don't write for a living I do write my daily dose each day and now after six months of doing it, it kind of has become a part of my daily routine , if I go to bed or fall asleep before I do it I can never sleep well, thus I am up at 2:41AM because I needed to get it done. So I sort of understand where you are coming from on this post.
Hope everything works out well for you soon.
Quite true. I can relate. It's usually a struggle getting back to form once you stop writing for awhile. Currently passing through this phase and it's killing me knowing I'm yet to develop such consistency by writing everyday.
I find that if my brain hits that wall and I try to keep going -- I run into burnout inside of two weeks flat.
When my brain stops, there is no more cranking out content. For me, it's just that way, no matter what "tips" or "hacks" I've tried to change it. Frustrating as YOU KNOW WHAT!!!!
I can write other stuff -- stuff that doesn't have an agenda or deadline, but if my brain isn't working -- there is no cranking out things with an agenda or a deadline attached.
I still don't know why that is.
Good advice. You do need to write every day, no matter what genre or discipline. You have to keep your head in the game, so to speak, so you are thinking about your topic otherwise you have to start the thought process all over again each time you sit down to write.
Sorry for all the struggles and distress.I do hope that you will get your insurance settlement soon and will be back full swing :)
I am glad to see a post from you again!! I was seriously getting worried!!! Yes, writing, exercising, eating healthy, loving ourselves and others - daily, daily, daily practice is a must.
Hugs to you and all your broken parts. Hoping your body and mind is on the healing path and the electronics will be replaced soon!!
Have you tried writing by hand? I know it's a pain in the ass and it takes longer than typing, but I always have some spiral-bound notebooks around so I can write if the power goes out or something.
Also, get an external hard drive. After one of my computers crashing a few years ago, taking everything on it with it when I had to restore it to factory settings, I've been super paranoid about losing my work. I've got four completed novels and another one I'm working on on my laptop right now. I would hate to lose any of that hard work.
Three novels are published to Amazon and one is published here, so I can get that work back, but when I'm working on it, it would be terrible to lose it. So, I frequently back things up to the external hard drive. That way, if the laptop was to crash or break, I could easily upload all my document from the external hard drive onto the new computer and lose none of my work. It's a peace of mind kind of thing.
I hope you're doing better.
Give me a call tomorrow and let's finish that challenge!
You are write. I'm actually participating in a 100 day poetry challenge and although sometimes it an be inhumane I know that it's good for my writing skills and for not getting rusty. Even though what I like to write most is humor.
I'm going through a dry spell right now, totally uninspired so I'm guilty as charged about not writing everyday. I am reading a lot though and writing in my journal and responding to posts here so there is some redemption there. I guess the point I'm making is rhythm and cycles apply and I've found going with the flow does help. I hope things get settled soon for you, I for one really enjoy your work here...
Yes, I imagine that it is the same situation or sensation when you go on vacation and return to work, that you do not know exactly where to start and how to get back to the work routine; but, it is only a question of very few days to take the usual rhythm. In your case, I understand it is quite different because you come from a hard accident and the physical part is added as an obstacle to the pace of work. What you definitely need is your lap top, so that you will see that in a few hours you will feel in connection again. Greetings @arbitrarykitten
@arbitrarykitten I am SO sorry to hear about your accident. I had absolutely NO idea.... @giantbear informed me a little earlier. It really is miraculous that you walked out of that alive.
I can absolutely relate to the "keep on, keeping on" attitude and approach to your livelihood, but at the same time, after an experience like that, you also need to realise that you mind, body and heart... need a little bit of reprieve. Don't force it because that wont help you long term.
If anything, take a little time out and think about writing ideas rather.... give yourself some time to process things. Yes, I do agree that writing assists in the healing process, I know it has for me - but so SOON after such a trauma it may be more advisable to just take a little time to breathe!
Sending you lots of love and support from myself and all the members of the @steemitbloggers community.... and if you ever just want to chat, vent or express.... then pop in (if you have access to discord.)
Take care hon.... one day at a time
xxx
It will pass. Be grateful you have another chance and smile that you didn't die.
Hey, please go easy with yourself aite, @arbitrarykitten. Healing takes time, and in those times, you will gain your strength and more ideas to write! Sending lots of love, hugs, blessings and favour your way! :)
Big love to you my friend - I wish you a speedy recovery. If there's anything I can do let me know
@arbitrarykitten, I somehow missed your terrible story when it happened, and for that I am sorry. Thankfully, @jaynie shared it at Discord steemitbloggers, and after reading it all, I am almost speechless.
I am so thankful that you are alive, and also so saddened by your struggles with PTSD. I have a good friend who was a Medic in Afghanistan, and struggles terribly with the same; I wish it on no one. She finds medical cannabis a god send, fyi.
I also saw @papa-pepper's generous Cryptojeep Challenge; it's that type of selfless behaviour that makes me fall in love with steemit all over again. Just so you know, you have a new friend in me, who's a good listener, if you ever need it. Keep fighting the fight @arbitrarykitten ...I'm rooting for you! Sending big internet hugs your way <3
I get it. When I was sick after the holidays, I skipped writing for many days and I didn't know where to go after. It was the same for my video ideas, I didn't know what videos to make.
I guess that's why I'm always writing some sort of fiction too. When I'm not writing fiction, I'm writing Fan-Fiction. I'm always somehow writing something.
But it's also normal for our brains to get foggy after being sick or when we need a prolongued period of rest. Getting back into the beat of things is done best gradually for me, before I can be a peak efficiency again.
Hope you're feeling better though.
I am sorry to hear you were in an accident, but glad you are recovering from it. And your poor laptop... what a loss for a writer... 😢 I will keep my fingers crossed that YOU and your insurance settlement will be fixed beautifully soon! In the meantime, the #steemitbloggers community will have you in our thoughts and prayers! 💛
So sorry to learn that you went through an accident and your laptop is not working as it was because of that. Bless you with physical recoveries and also financial recoveries.
I am so inspired by you. I too have been trying to write everyday and sometimes when I couldn't, I really feel quite bad cos I aim to, so I can write better. Now I know why and love how you put it, we got to exercise our writing muscles daily.
Bless you @arbitrarykitchen as you write from your phone. Do cushion your hand as you do that, cos I usually post from phone and sometimes the hand hurts a bit so I'm watching out on that.
@arbitrarykitten When you stop writing you forget to put a QUESTION (?) mark in your Title. You get caught UP in things that may be more immediate in your Life. Then you come back in APRIL refreshed and ready once again to be the Best STEEMIAN you have ever been !!!!
Sending you wishes of good luck and good health. It is incredible to recognize how much we use our electronics when we no longer have access to them.
I have been stuck steeming from mobile recently, seeing that you are still posting through these experiences is empowering!
Get well soon AK!