Books Magazine

Not Writing is Easier Than Writing, Right?

By Ashleylister @ashleylister
To plan for this topic, I decided to not write anything creative for a WHOLE week.  This seemed easy as I’d just finished off my portfolio and felt like a break would do me good.  So I kept a mini-record of what happened each day.  Obviously I had to write that but the idea was to do nothing creative.  Easy right?  I mean I used to NOT write stuff all the time.  
Here it is:
Friday - hungover to hell.  Sleeping next to a pile of books my friend gave me whilst hungover.  He can go to hell too.  In fact anyone who sold me a drink last night can go to hell.  And the taxi driver who laughed at me for having such a bad head - he can join the rest in hell!  Actually got a good idea for DGP’s planets night if I can get head to stay on long enough to figure out which planet I’d put hell on and who I’d send there.   Ha! I’m starting to write - breaking the rules is a good start for 1st day.
Saturday - knackered.  Hacked off a little bit too.  No reason, I’m just tired so being grouchy.  Keep growling at mom on the phone and saying some really funny stuff in the midst of hysteria but can’t jot them down because of this stupid not writing thing.  See that’s hacking me off too.
Sunday - tipsy Anna!  Went to favorite married ladies’ house Dee-Anne and Patricia for chin wag and to let Patrick play with Alvin the dog.  Painted their fence with them and helped them erect a gazebo.  Using word 'erect' when with lesbians creates so much banter fuel but was a little too merry to actually write down any of good banter.
Monday - Giving up.  Three whole days of not writing.  It’s utter BS.  Had some good ideas which I now can’t remember and am praying they came back.  The final straw was that Hillsborough programme.  Always an emotive subject, but then I thought of a guy who’s dad was a South Yorkshire policeman and thought it would be funny if “bastardry” was hereditary which in turn gave me a fab idea for a poem “Like Father Like Son” and I cracked - it needed writing down.  It’s in the rough box for later perusal.  But I am not doing this stupid bloody experiment thing anymore.  Now where’s the Mateus?
Not writing is easier than writing, right?
So you see, after never writing a jot before September, I realised how much I write now and how much I need to write.  In fact, not writing was putting me in a hell of a crappy mood.  It was frustrating.  Worse than sexual frustration because it's less easy to solve - or so I hear!  So keep writing - all the time - get it out of your system and cleanse your think tanks.  Even when busy, if you plan and are prepared, you can snatch a few minutes on the bus to jot some ideas down, or free-write about what you see out of the window.  Sitting watching telly you can jot down funny things you hear.  Or on a night out, someone says something that intrigues or tickles you, stick it in the notes on your phone or text yourself with it!  Either way, even if it is just one line scribbles, keep doing it, keep writing and let the creative juices flow!Thanks for reading,L x

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