Hi,

Reading a poem by Marlo just got me thinking. I've often found that I go through phases in life where I'm either quite solitary or conversely very sociable. The solitary phases are where I'm most productive with my writing. Also, I've often found that when I'm in a relationship I get distracted and write a lot less. Has anyone else found this? Is there a happy medium??

Catherine

I've heard this from other writers, and some poets say they can only write decent poetry when they're unhappy. For me it's more to do with shutting out distractions and background noise both real and imagined and getting into it. Being alone one can be selfish with one's time, and again there's less distraction. Momentum is important too - it seems almost as if the more writing I do the more I'm able to do. If I stop for any length of time it requires some effort to get into again. I think the happy medium means putting aside some time for your writing even if you're in a relationship. Was it Virginia Wolfe who set herself the task of writing 1,000 words a day before she could do anything else?

I am exactly the same. When I am in a relationship I have less inspiration to write, and they tend to get in the way a bit (If that's not too cruel-which it probably is!), so I stopped having them last year. Since that time I have written more than in the previous five years and sent loads of chapters off to publishers and agents.If I get bored with being on my own, I go out and see my friends and family and stuff and come back to solitude refreshed and energetic!

When I lived in me car for 5 weeks a few years back I wrote shedloads, it was mostly crap but I got a few good lines out of it.

There must be a happy medium somewhere but I, personally, have never found it.If you do,I'd be interested to know it.

Good luck, Dave.

Call me cynical ("Oi, Cynical you f@#kin' piece of...") but don't relationships get in the way of everything, except the relationship itself?

Luv

Dav

(notice the self-censorship? Oh, haven't I matured?)

Sometimes relationships do get in the way of the relationship itself!(I'm getting too psychological now)
Bring back the expletives.

Dave

Hah! Like that one Dave. You fucking genius. Oh s@#t I forgot.

But, boy, it felt good...

That's better!

D

To go way off track and reintroduce a popular topic from the past(y) I've just read a that a survey says (no, it's nothing to do with Les Dennis, I don't think anyway...) that reading books makes a bloke more sexy to them femme fatale opposite numbers over there. So I'm figuring WRITING the bleedin' things must make you a bona fide magnet.

So, girls, orderly line please...

But remember, NO relationships. They can seriously damage your 'elf. And I ain't talking about you Waxy, death pixie that you are.

So, there you go - girls, is it true? Is that all it takes, a pair of bookish glasses and a...er, bookish...book, to make one's charms irresistable? Or am I booking up the wrong tree?

Do you see what I did there?

Right. I'll go then.

Luv


Dav

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And relationships provide proximity to angst. Or, fodder.

For me, it's not being alone so much as having a change in routine. In fact, I find that if I try to write in a situation where I am supposed to be doing something else, like working maybe, my creativity seems to be closer to hand......

Does anyone else experience this?

Ani

Aye, writing sneaky stories whilst at work used to be great for my creativity. Too darn busy lately to get away with that though.

I can't write very well with others in the house. It's easier if just the children are there (but I risk them wrecking the house if I don't keep a close eye on them) but if my wife is home I find it hard to get on, because she likes attention. She'll sit and sigh as if she's bored, so I stop what I'm doing and we do something together instead.

Ben,

I had to laugh. I'm afraid that I behave the same as your wife. My man doesn't write, but I have to compete with his newspapers and the work that he's brought home.

Ani

Ha - I rest my case!

Nah, soz Ani, men are all bastards anyway. Apparantly, though I'm not gay or ought.

Man-woman, man-man, woman-woman, Womack and Womack...all doomed to failure.

"In the morning I wake up..."

Relationships huh? Can't live with 'em... can't live with 'em...(repeat x1000)

Talking of which - that woman screwing David Blunkett must be the definition of UTTER INSANITY.

This is the final sign. The world is surely due to end.

Luv

Dav

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that woman screwing David Blunkett must be the definition of UTTER INSANITY.

I used to walk puppies for the guide dog association, they were great for attracting attention (although that might be made up, I can’t see clearly through the rose tinted specs of nostalgia). Incidentally I actually walked the sister of Blunket’s dog, her name was Lilly and was a complete nut case (isn’t that the worst claim to fame you’ve ever heard?).

So I imagine actually having a guide dog might be an aide to pulling.

Grinder

Creativity is ever-present and self-reflective. It's just that most of us don't want to write about many of the things we think about. I for one, often think up intricate stories of the heart. I don't write these down, as I lack the ability to tell them as effectively as I feel them in my head.

One small indication of malice, however, and my fingers don't stop typing for anything.

Actually Grinder, that is a great claim to fame. I like the fact Blunkett's dog's sister was a nutcase. I can see the poor mutt now, slinking behind Herr Blunkett's legs, a speech bubble above her head:

"And I thought Lily was bad..."

Maybe you've got a point about the aid to pulling thing, but HE'S the one whose supposed to blind!

IB - we HAVE to see one of your intricate stories of the heart! Does it involved ripping it out, and standing above the still pumping vessel laughing insanely?

I love that last line btw!

Ah, it's good to be back.

Talking of which I'm off now! I feel like crap and am going home to bed!

See ya'll tomorrow!


Luv

Dav

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