Hey cHEwY gum gums!

I’m writing this from Smithton, a small town in far North-West Tasmania, the Circular Head region. I’ll be driving around to some tiny schools around here, and exploring some scenic and tourist attractions after my author visits because well…Tasmania’s coast is beautiful and the nature is so distracting, I sneak in quick glances when I’m driving down the Bass Highway. I’m thankful that I don’t have any deadlines, so I don’t feel that guilty that I’m not writing. Yet, I will try find an hour or two to write anyway haha.

Last week, one of my writing pals and Funny Bones co-editor, Kate Temple posted a picture of her pretending to type on Instagram, during one of her dry writing days. Those times where you have time set apart to write and nothing much is happening.

I’ve had my fair share of dry days. Sometimes, it goes on for weeks. There are days where my mind is elsewhere, and is looking for distractions. Or when I’m just tired or not in the mood, and it’s only 930 am.

I could be like Kate and just pretend to type. Or what if I type a bunch of rubbish because it’s better than nothing, right? (actually it’s only a tiny step above nothing haha). Then I think if I should just stop and do something more productive. What if I did some cleaning or try to call up for a better health insurance deal or other errands you can do during the day when there’s no traffic because everyone else has a ‘real job.’

Or maybe I could just play games all day. But then the guilt kicks in.

My strategy is to push through the thick fog of nothingness. It’s not efficient or effective. I sit in front of my laptop and solider on. I wish I could tell you that I get that light bulb moment and get into a writing frenzy. But what happens is that I write two or three paragraphs. It’s not much in five hours, but it’s better than nothing…and writing rubbish haha. Of course, I’ll allow myself to be distracted, I might dip into a book, play a game for a bit and a tiny bit of housework, but I won’t stray from my laptop for too long. I suppose I am like Kate then, pretending to be a writer, even if I’m anything but writing.

I try to stay disciplined, even on those dry writing days. I know a writing storm is around the corner 🙂

O.W