Hi All!
Just so you know, I'm not usually a superstitious gal... Well, not anymore anyway. I used to be super superstitious, but I got better. Nowadays, I'm pretty good about not throwing salt over my shoulder, or flinching when a black cat crosses my path, or worrying about jinxes.
Nope, nowadays, my superstitions are confined to writerly things. For instance...
I cannot read writing advice if I want to write. I even see a blog with an advice type post and I steer far far away.
I cannot read about other writers having problems - like writers' block or stumbling or being at a loss for ideas. Even if they've solved the problem and have the answers for how to avoid it. (See #1 up there.)
These aren't just fanciful superstitions, though. For some reason, as soon as I read writing advice, I freeze up. I lose my self-confidence. As for reading about other writers' problems, more often than not I read about their problem and suddenly I have their problem. It's like a form of writerly hypochondria.
Recognizing these flaws, I stay the heck away. Sure, I could sit down and find a way to fix the flaws, but I don't want to chance the many weeks of not-writing it would take to fix any of this. So I avoid it all. (I'm really good at avoidance.)
:shrug:
What about you? What are your superstitions? Do you avoid them or have you tried to fix them?
Hmm, interesting. I don't think I have any superstitions when it comes to writing (or anything else, really). *shrugs* I'll be curious to see what other people say, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the writerly advice stuff, B.E. - as soon as I read anything in that realm, I am suddenly the worst writer on earth and I may as well hang up my pen because I will never get published!!
ReplyDeleteAs for the writerly issues - not so much. But I understand where you're coming from ("writerly hypochondria" LOL).
I also have a problem with mimicking voices - so I try to stay clear of writers who write my genre while I am writing. I have the same issues with people who have accents - really, I'm not being rude, I just pick up your accent is all.
My only superstition is reading the subgenre of my current WIP. If I'm writing paranormal/urban fantasy, can't read it. Writing contemporary or suspense? Can't read it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll try to not complain about my pitfalls or my advice. LOLOL! (Not!)
That's so interesting! And it's good that you know what things tend to trip you up and slow you down. For me, I've become superstitious about telling people when good writerly things happen, because whenever I do, they never pan out. (well, they haven't panned out YET! That's the optimist in me!) So I think from now on I will keep my mouth firmly shut until something solid happens.
ReplyDeleteI'm like Silver James. I won't read a particular genre if that's the one I'm writing at the time.
ReplyDeleteMost writing advice (and problems) have been rehashed so many time, I stay away from them simply because it's old hat.