I couldn't finish this short piece of prose that I was writing during a lull at work the other day. I wound up getting slammed about twenty minutes after I started it and had to put it away. By the time I got back to it, the inspiration that was the driving force behind it was gone, leaving me to ponder the question, "What if?" for the rest of the day.
You're sitting at your desk, trying to think of something to write about and within a few short minutes you're pathetically squeezing the trigger and wondering why no bullets are coming out. It's not until way later in the day that you realize the gun you were firing was a starter's pistol.
In any event, since your mind is basically blank with only shadowy images to keep you company, you decide to go off on a short walk, like that will somehow make a few of those shadowy images solid.
Well, the walk does do the trick, because a few of those images do become solid. Problem is, one of those images causes you to think a few salacious thoughts about how you might be able to work those images into a story.
Even though the image leaves you feeling pretty good and gives your soul a brief respite from the doldrums that's been sucking the energy from it, you reluctantly dismiss that image from your head. But to be on the safe side, you mentally catalogue the various components of that image for future use.
Sighing hard, you continue on your walk, but soon enough, that image that you so reluctantly dismissed only moments ago, gently shoulders its way back to the forefront of your mind, as if to say, "Hey, if I'm pleasing to think about, then why would you make me go away? You should keep thinking about me."
You decide that you really can't argue with that particular logic, so you give in to the temptation and allow that shadowy image to solidify. In a matter of seconds, it takes a gentle grip of your soul and immediately creates a havoc that is both pleasing to the soul and nourishing to the mind.
As the image continues to mold, bend and twist your subconscious into a happy pretzel, you begin to wonder whether or not you should take that next step. Do you fully embrace that warm feeling, those gentle touches, those soft kisses, that passion that lays so tantalizingly in reach that your heart cries out in sadness?
(c) 2011 by GBMJr. All Rights Reserved
Monday, January 31, 2011
16 comments:
Go on, give me your best shot. I can take it. If I couldn't, I wouldn't have created this wonderful little blog that you decided to grace with your presence today.
About that comment moderation thingy: While yes, it does say up above I can take it, I only use it to prevent the occasional miscreant from leaving thoughtless and/or clueless comments.
So remember, all of your comments are greatly appreciated and all answers will be given that personal touch that you come to expect and enjoy.
G. B. Miller
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i hate the fact that some of my best ideas get lost cuz they happen in that quazi-awake state just before i fall asleep of just after i wake. i have a little voice recorder, but it always seems to fall between the bed and wall, and then just pisses me off..
ReplyDeletebut when an idea falls into place...ah yes!
Bruce
Bruce Johnson JADIP
Evil Twin
stupid stuff I see and hear
The Dreamodeling Guy
dreamodeling!
The Guy Book
The Guy Book
Bruce: Over the years, this type of thing has absolutely drove me battty. I have like about several short stories in various stages of incompleteness, and in fact, I took about five of them and wove them together to make a longer story out of them.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, it is a real pain in the buttocks when it happens.
never trust technology...you will always have a pen and paper - although I choose to use computers since I press way too hard when I write and my hands cramps up
ReplyDeleteRyan: I do the bulk of my blogging by writing the post out by hand before transcribing it to the computer.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, with pen and paper, you can take it with you anywhere (can't wait for spring and summer, so I can start carrying my notebook with me). For me, because I have mobility/dexterity problems with my hands, its become quite therapeutic as a very necessary break from writing on the computer.
*Crying*
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate...that sucks.
R: I think that most people can totally relate to having a passionate "what if" moment in their lives.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, if you let it consume you, it can indeed suck.
Loved reading this, G!
ReplyDeleteIt really flowed out from those shadowy soul places. One of your best for me.
Ain't writing great1
For me I think its a mood, or a mindset. Alawys happy when it kicks in!
xoxo
Jannie: I agree, it is definitely a mindset that has to kick in for it to work.
ReplyDeleteI have long periods of down time at work, and unfortunately this one started flowing at just the wrong moment. I'm pretty sure that it would've been a longer and more heartfelt piece of prose than what it wound up being.
I get ideas and thoughts for stories at all kinds of times, and many of them are just as quickly lost as I am interupted before I can even jot them down. Some of my best ideas have probably been lost.
ReplyDeleteCharles: Annoying isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI think what I find even more annoying is if I happen to find the thread again, I'll start off in a completely unrelated tangent and before I know it, the story/blog post is ruined.
G- yeah but i kinda like that stream of consciousness writing style, unfortunately, it is rather hard to edit!
ReplyDeleteBruce: True, its very hard to edit, but once you get going....in all honesty though, I've had exactly one story hit me like that and I was able to flesh it out.
ReplyDeleteMy recently completed book that I'm getting ready to start querying, stemmed from an idea that was floating around in my head during one of those awake/not awake moments early one morning (Super Bowl Sunday).
The trick is remembering those ideas when you can expand on them- Running into Sidetrack City is tough. I always want to write on a new idea before working on the older ones-
ReplyDeleteSnaggle: Sidetrack City...I like that.
ReplyDeleteUsually when I start to work on something, I try to see it through to the very end, especially if its a blog post. Other stuff it isn't that bad, because I have a tendency to work on one story at a time.
This was simply a frustrating piece of prose, because I really think I could've done something quite sensual/sensuous with it.
Images have been coming to me at all the wrong times lately. Once I get a minute to try and remember them, they are off in the mist of my subconscious. Thanks for reminding me to carry a pad around with me. Lately, I've been in a poetry rut. This may get me going again.
ReplyDeleteKelly: Whatever works for you. Usually I bring a notebook with me to work so that I can jot down ideas and what not.
ReplyDelete