5.31.2011

Triggers. (not guns, but still bad)

Thanks so much to everyone who helped erica with her first page this weekend. Pop on over to Shelley Watter's blog to see what she's got cooking this week! (psst-erica's entered)

May is almost over. But our hiatus continues through this week.  Man, May was busy. did anyone notice I forgot to post this yesterday? that's how this months' gone for us! Baseball, soccer, students, OH MY!!! We're digging our way out and WE ARE SO SORRY THAT WE MISSED YOU LATELY!!! We're on our way back - thanks for waiting, truly!! we also wish to thank our laundry, dishes, floors, and dogs for waiting so patiently. we wish you were clean, too

Triggers.

What you do when you sit at the computer to write, except for actually writing.

This post is brought to you by erica, the Queen of Triggers. Okay, that's a bit melodramatic. But yeah, triggers hurt my writing. My first book was written mostly longhand and I really thought that by buying my laptop, I'd be churning out books left and right. Umm, not so much.

I open my laptop and while it's loading, I check to see if I have any split ends (I always do - the curse of long hair). Or any gray hair (yep - the curse of being *cough* years old). Maybe I need something to drink (usually true). Honey roasted cashews might be in order (they always are). Did anyone "like" my comment on Facebook (maybe, let's check, it's been like six minutes). I might've gotten an email, so let's keep that page open. Shucks, I just closed it. I'd better open it again...

Triggers = time drainers triggered by a certain thing. (a friend of mine can't open her laptop without lighting a cigarette lately. so triggers can be way worse than the ones I have, I know!!)

Then again, what about GOOD triggers??!! Open the document and drink a cup of coffee and WRITE. Pick up a purple pen and write thousands of words! Turn on music and exercise and let the words flow...please let us know in the comments how you turn these things into your friends!!

Now, on a much more somber note:

This week, I read about a remarkable YA author named Bridget Zinn, whose debut novel comes out in 2012. She's also a young woman who lost her life to colon cancer. Whenever I think I just can't write, I hope I remember that Bridget not only found the strength to do it in the face of unsurmountable odds, but also that she did it with grace, tact, and enthusiasm. The world is a sadder place without her, but heaven has a beautiful new angel. Go with grace, Bridget, and know that we remember you.

And we don't want to forget our veterans and current soldiers.  Erica and Christy hope you had a glorious Memorial Day weekend. If you aren't in the US, well, we still hope you had a glorious weekend. It's time for the sun to shine, the plants to grow, and the ideas to FLOW!! YAY SUMMER!!



14 comments:

  1. I find that my mood determines how easily I let myself get distracted by online stuff, or the kids, or needing a drink or snacks. I do like to sit at the computer with a cup of tea. I do like my comfort. I do like to see if I have any new emails or comments, etc. But when I'm really excited to sit down and write, I just do.

    The end of your post was so sad. Great idea to turn it around on ourselves to inspire us to write more and complain less.

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  2. Yeah... I have a tough time resisting a great number of things on the laptop... I do better with my notebook where those things aren't an option. It can still be tough to get things typed up, but I can do that at half attention, watching something to one side, typing to the other.

    That is definitely an inspiring story about Bridget. I hope her book does really well.

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  3. You know I'm ALWAYS distracted ... mostly when I'm editing. If I am writing not so much because my mind is more focused. But when I edit I am constantly flipping to the blog posts or email. BAD MICHAEL!

    Now the nice weather is calling out to me. The sun is bright and hight and I so want to take my power walk on the lakefront. I should go now before the heat is too much.

    I promise to focus on my edits all afternoon as soon as I get back....

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  4. Ah triggers, yes I do have a few. For me it's more of a ritual though. I check my email first, check my blog, check Twitter, then repeat. I'm terrible that way. ;)

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  5. let's see if i can comment today (before trying the turn off the stay signed in thing, which i will try as soon as grading is done and i am allowed to blog hop once again!). ah yes. i wrote lots more (crap) before the blogosphere, email and twitter entered the picture, but w/o you all, my crap would have stayed crap!

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  6. it worked!!!!! i had to click off on the stay signed in box. THANKS ERICA!!!!! when grading is done (by midnight tonight, hopefully sooner), i'll be visiting and commenting again! my commenter is FIXED!!!!! christy

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  7. I agree that my mood depends alot of what happens as well- I can spend days without getting online and then bam- I'm in a frenzie to get things done- and not always writing.

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  8. Love your triggers, erica, especially the purple pen, and for a very particular reason. I happen to have a purple pen. It is one of my very favorite for the way it feels and its ease of use, and I often look at it longingly, even pick it up, then put it back, when I'm going to write longhand. Why? Because I have a deadly fear of writing purple prose!!! You have just freed me of this negative associative trigger, and I am going to use that pen. Thanks!

    On another note, I noticed on Michael's blog you mentioned that Christy can't log onto Blogger and doesn't know why. I was having that problem a few days ago myself, and it turned out that I had to delete all the cookies that had built up in my program. To find out how to do that I just went to the Help bar at the top of my screen and asked. Maybe that will work for her, too.

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  9. Heh. Just saw the comment above that Christy got back on. Pretend that second para in my last comment isn't there.

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  10. Hey good luck on your entry!!! :)

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  11. I'm pretty trigger-happy myself. And you're right about the split ends.

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  12. I don't have the split end temptation (short hair) but the rest I can all relate to! sometimes I even clean instead of write! yikes. only because I think if I pick up and clear space around me it will get me ready to write. Yeah yeah excuses! Bridget Zinn is my new inspiration too, wow. I will be watchingg for her book, for sure.

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  13. Thanks for the comments, guys! Everytime I read about Bridget, I learn something more inspiring...

    (wish I could clean like some of you, truly - my parents are coming up in two days!!)
    erica

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  14. Oh yeah, when editing it is very easy to let triggers get in the way. In fact I welcome them. (that's why the checklist comes in handy! I like checking off how much I finished! Yay!!!)

    I read about Bridget just a last night. God bless, and a good inspiration.

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