Writing Frustrations

I am getting really good at writing about the frustrations of writing. I am so blocked on my book I know not what to do. But I've got to do SOMETHING. So to jump start my "creative process", I've decided to return to fundamentals. I pulled out my copy of Writing Fiction and I'm starting from the beginning. I did a lot of the exercises in a writing class I took a few years ago, but there's a whole lot more in there. Since I'm not enrolled in any classes at this moment, I'm going to use Writing Fiction as my classroom.

So I open the book and the entire first chapter is all about me! The opening lines: "You want to write. Why is it so hard?" That is an excellent question.

"We are in love with words except when we have to face them." Yep.

"...most writers share the paradox of least wanting to do what we most want to do." Has the author of this book been following me around?

Under the topic "Getting Started", the book recommends journal keeping, freewriting and clustering. I have tried journal writing. The problem I encountered there was that I allowed myself to count journal writing as my writing for the day, hence making no progress on my various legitimate writing projects.

I do enjoy freewriting, but again....no progress on the writing that counts.

Clustering...this is an effective technique...when you have a topic. But wait, I do have a topic! My book, the one I've been bellyaching over, the one that has me stumped on where to go next. Perhaps clustering will lead me somewhere. The book says of clustering: "What you are doing is making; sense will emerge." So I have to have faith, is that what she's saying? Okay, I'll try it.