NaPoWriMo #24--"Writer's Block"

Writer’s Block

When students struggle with writing papers

they often tell me it’s because of “writer’s block.”

“Nonsense,” I boom.  “There is no such thing,

especially in this kind of paper. Not a lot of

creativity involved!” And there’s not.

Actually, after years working as a reporter.

I learned that in non-fiction, writer’s block

is a luxury none can afford.  With strict deadlines,

Bob’s yer uncle, the writing gets done.

All the impetus in the world to churn out prose.

But tonight, as I said, “I have to write today’s

poem,” I heard myself mumble,

“But I have writer’s block!” I laughed,

opened a WORD file, and lo, a poem was born.

Have a strict deadline, and Mary’s yer auntie,

the poem gets done. It might be weak, it might

be silly, but it’s there, a start. As I tell students:

there’s something to this discipline thing, so WRITE.

"An Ode to Digitized Texts"--NaPoWriMo #10

An Ode to Digitized Texts

I want to sing an ode to the internet

and digitized sources.

Twenty years ago, I did my

dissertation on little-known writers

of the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Rare books had to be borrowed

from far away libraries.

Some read in situ, copiously

taking notes as the pages were too fragile

to photocopy.

                                Those plays that had been

included in facsimile editions were copied

at a huge cost of time and money.

So much so that I kept them for over

fifteen years “just in case”. Did you

know that photocopied words will

impress into the plastic folder that

holds them, neatly lifting off the page,

leaving nothing but a shadow

of memory on the page?

Rarely, a volume could be bought,

Though a stretch for a poor student’s

budget. One who was a new mother, as well.

But if it were under a hundred, I’d bite.

That was half the weekly cost of the

babysitter and a sacrifice.

All these years later, I am going

back to my true love: early 18^th century.

Having lost my precious copies,

I feared finding what I need in this

far distant desert. But as I tell my students,

Google is our friend. As is Project Gutenberg,

The University of Michigan

and Google books.

                                All my old friends are here,

And more! The wisdom of that age, digitized

by volunteers, scholars and technicians.

Scanning thousands upon thousands,

giving poor and distant scholars access.

A mere twenty years ago, I could not

have dreamt of such riches, such bounty.

There are some who despair of “technology”.

They fear it, or say it is dehumanizing us all.

But how very human, this desire to save the

precious, the rare. 

                                My hard drive now holds

more of these nearly lost works than I ever

handled back then. Do I miss the feel of paper,

of leather, the smell of ancient printing?

Of course.

But I can visit them. Go to libraries when

I can. But now I can also work and study

And share knowledge of these riches

with the world. Make sure my fore-

mothers are remembered and 

given credit for the hard work they did

so that I have the right to write.

So an ode to the internet and

digitized sources. For those who

dreamt of a world where books

were forever.

"Writer's Work"--NaPoWriMo #9

Writer's Work

It looks like I’m goofing off,
but I’m not.
I’m working.
Writers work in odd ways.

It looks like I’m dreaming.

But I’m writing,
in my head,
working out the holes.

It looks like I’m surfing,

skimming junk.
But all surface.
My brain is working elsewhere.

Sometimes I am

two places at once.
And the one you see
is much more boring.

***

It's the end of the work week here in Dubai. My brain's broken! And I'd rather post something every day than wait till I've got "something good". Then who knows when I'd post.

"Planning Utopia" NaPoWriMo #7

Planning Utopia

 

The other morning I had a brilliant idea

for a YA series. One not set in a dystopia

but for a change, a utopia.

It would be perfect: social theory

and adventure at the same time.

I started planning, gleeful at the rich

plots I could weave.

On the stairs to work, I hit my first snag.

How could a utopia not be full of

vegetarians? But then wouldn’t the

omnivores cry foul? But then, even

worse, from a demographics point of view,

wouldn’t a utopia be full of vegans?

In a perfect world, would we still make

animals serve us? And suddenly,

in my head, I was at Fruitlands

with the Alcotts and their friends,

living on apples and dreams.

So, dilemma: I could make the

vegetarians happy, or the vegans

or the omnivores, but not all at once.

And that, I thought, was that. The end.

But, wait! I thought. In a utopia,

people would agree to disagree!

They would respect people’s choices!

Could I? Would I be so bold as to create

a world where people let other people

live as they please without judging them?

That’s why it’s called fiction!

It’s imaginary! It’s not a real world.

I could do it! It would even be fantasy!

But wait.

Even if I create a perfect imaginary world,

Where people don’t judge others,

And the credo is “as long as your actions don’t

impact another, live and let live.” Where

crime, greed, jealousy, and vice are

eliminated, I’d have to sell the book.

And someone, somewhere, would say

I am a blood mouth or, alternately,

A left-wing-socialist-tree-hugging-feminazi.

With. An. Agenda.

And I wonder, would it be worth the time

to write a book in which people are kind,

and just, and fair, and non-judgmental, or

would I find, that there is no market for it,

even as fiction?

Because really, fiction, even fantasy

can only be so fantastic.

****

This took a turn I wasn't expecting, but write and post is my motto this month. One of the fun things of NaPoWriMo!