It Happens to the Best of Us

Blog Catalog is clearly more than just a blog directory. It’s a place where blog authors can build friendships, exchange information, get help, and find inspiration. Members hail from across the globe, each of us bursting with our own thoughts and perspectives. We are all bound by the same thread: We blog…. and blog… and blog. The ability to express oneself in this form is, at times, exhilarating. With so much to be said, it’s no surprise the ‘discussions’ section of BC is ALWAYS active. But what happens when there is nothing more to say? Aside from being connected through Blog Catalog, there is one more thing members have in common.

At some point or another, we have all suffered from Writer’s Block.

I actually respect Writer’s Block because it doesn’t care how talented, funny, or knowledgeable you are. It’s like the IRS in a way: sooner or later EVERYBODY pays. This affliction has plagued me numerous times, leaving my well of ideas bone dry. Frustration has boiled my blood and salty tears of helplessness have fallen from my eyes. In complete despair, I have raised my eyes heavenward seeking an answer to this…disease. Why me? Who exactly did I piss off and how can I make it right? I cannot explain the bitterness I have felt at my inability to cultivate ideas or the jealousy I have had of others, for whom ideas seemingly came easy.

Enter desperation.

At the moment, I have over 20 unpublished posts that practically reek “bottom of the barrel” (some would say the same for a few published ones, too). These were scribblings I fully intended to post if my dry spell did not end, posts that if offered to the public would surely get me tarred and feathered.

Because I frequently bask in the feeling of community here, I will bravely share a few of the incriminating titles:

“Ode to My Slowcooker” – Wherein I write poetry describing this most wondrous of inventions. When people ask, “What can you make in a slowcooker?” I respond with, “Deliciousness.”

“Battle of the Curd” – It starts off: Once again husband and wife are engaged in a deadly battle of wills. Both refused to throw out the spoiled milk someone left on the counter. After the horrific Cheddar Cheese Fiasco of 2006, neither intended to give in to the other…

“Lamentations on Human Anatomy, or: 10 Reasons Why Long Fingernails are Useful” – This was a particularly bad day.

“Why Jubilee Should Never Have Been an X-Men” – Honestly, she sucks.

“Dear NBC” – A letter to the network begging for the return of “Cavemen”. I liked that show.

“Members Only” – A passion-filled display of affection in memory of a certain jacket once considered the height of fashion.

“The Private Lives of Toys in Mint Condition” – What your collectibles do when you leave home.

“The Upside-down e” – Punctuation that’s finger lickin’ good.

… and the list goes on.

I hope to never publish anything listed here, I already tempted fate with “What Would You Do If Darkseid Stole Your Car?” I shudder to think what other sorts of posts might slip through my fingers during this darkest of times. And while I’m not exactly proud of some of these pieces, they did lead me to better things.

Writer’s Block is a monster that needs to feed on innocent creativity from time to time. When you are one of its poor victims, it is important to hang on to whatever motivates you to share your ideas with others. Whether you need to take a walk, listen to music, spend time on the BC threads or write pure nonsense, never give in to it. Do whatever it takes to keep the idea machine chugging along. And NEVER EVER post in desperation, like drunk-dialing, you always live to regret it.

**Photo by PPDIGITAL

JillSaxon, an active member of the blogcatalog community, is a 25 year old married woman who likes only meat, cheese and ketchup on her burgers. Her blog, The Loquaciously Verbose Ramblings of 1 Slacker is a source of personal thoughts, observations, memories and opinions.