5 Ways to Buck the Writing Blues

Copyright Stacy Lynn Ennis

I love writing.  I think it's fantastic.  It's splendid, marvelous, wonderful, and every other happy-sounding adjective you can think of.  I just love writing.

I also hate it.  Hate with a capital H.  H-A-T-E it.  Hate as in, "I hate it so much I could just cry."

It's funny how these two extremes seem to often occupy the same space.  I can be clipping along, words elegantly gracing the page or screen, thoughts flowing through me with ease and concise perfection (at least to me)...and then the next minute, nothing.  This state of nothingness can last for minutes, hours, and even days.

Why?

Well, for me, it has to do with two things: focus and creative stimulation.

Focus is first because I'm actually a pretty focused person.  I recently started planning out my day--writing out what time I'll do what and for how long.  This helps me stay focused.

However, this uber-planning sometimes only slightly alleviates my desire to get everything done now.  Especially when working on creative projects (such as writing or art), it's easy to feel that they're not as productive because they're more difficult to measure.  For example, I feel more productive if I spend an hour editing a four-page article or reading 40 pages for class versus writing two paragraphs or starting the design to one book cover mockup.  The quantitative side of me tends to see more as better, and this can cause me to lose focus on the creative task at hand--namely, writing.

Creative stimulation is second because I tend to be heavily influenced by my environment.  When I'm writing for long periods of time, I'm pretty good about setting up my space: a warm cup of coffee, the window partially open, my desk clear of clutter, a notepad and pen nearby, and no sounds but the birds singing outside (and sometimes the cats fighting, but I can't control that).  I don't check e-mail or social media, and I try not to have any conversations with humans.  (Cats are fine because they don't talk back.)

But when I'm writing a day here and a day there--right now, for example, as I'm revising my book--and not in a daily routine, I find it hard to get creative.  Sometimes I struggle to resist the urge to be "productive."  After all, to be creative, sometimes you just have to sit and think.  This does not always feel productive, although I know it will lead to productivity.

So, how does one buck the writing blues?  Here are some things that work for me:

1. Find out what inspires you...and then do it.  I watch TED.com videos most mornings to get inspired for the day.  In the early afternoons, when I'm feeling tired and a bit sluggish, I have a cup of tea and stretch out on my foam roller; this small break is often the fuel I need to finish the day strong.  A bit later, I do some sort of exercise.  This gets my blood pumping, and these long fitness sessions often lead to really great ideas.  I find all of these things inspiring, and they've quickly become necessary to my creativity.
2. Make a switch.  Feeling antsy?  Having trouble focusing?  About to fall asleep from boredom?  Move to another room. Stand up at your desk for a period of time.  Turn on some music.  Work from your tablet instead of your desktop.  Switch gears and work on another project.  Head to a coffee shop.  The possibilities are endless, but the point is the same: Changing things up often aids in both focus and creativity.
3. Write down your writing goals.  I know I often tout goal setting as the ultimate way to be productive and achieve dreams, but it's true.  I set monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly goals...and I almost always achieve them.  I also set long-term goals, but I don't usually write them out.  (Although one of my goals this month is to start writing those long-term goals out.)  If you're feeling stuck, stumped, or otherwise battling writing blues, writing your goals out on paper might help you visualize the finish product, which will help keep you focused.
4. Be intentional.  Goal setting will help with this, but the idea here is to be aware of what you're doing and why you're doing it.  Make decisions that bring you closer to what you desire, whether it's writing a novel or finishing a poem.  Record your achievements in a spreadsheet or by checking off items on a list--it doesn't matter how you live intentionally, just that you do it.  I used Wunderlist to make weekly and daily lists for myself, then check off things as they're completed.  I love clicking that little box and seeing the list item move to the "Recently done" section.
5. Stick it out.  You can do anything for a short period of time, and writing projects are no different. If you're feeling like you just can't type another word, remind yourself that the end is near.  Are you writing a book?  A few months to a year is doable, right?  Penning an article?  You can get through those couple of hours.  Being intentional with your writing and setting goals will help, but if you have to clear out your schedule or say "no" to a few things, then do it.  Book club can wait. So can cocktails with the gals.  Achieve your writing goals now.

No matter the cause of your writing blues, there is hope, and a prolifically-perfect day is right around the well-worded corner.

What about you?  How do you buck the writing blues?

How to Dry a Cat

Kitty, Anyone?

Today, we rescued a sweet little kitty; we've been trying to catch her for over a month, and we were finally successful today.  We can't keep her, and we're looking for a good home in Cincinnati.  She is an absolute sweetheart, and I know she'll warm up to a loving person or family.

We cleaned her up today, scrubbing her really well with Dawn (recommended at Petsmart to kill fleas, since she is a stray).  We have her scheduled for a vet appointment on Friday and to be spayed on Tuesday.  She'll get all of her necessary shots at the vet appointment, too, so she'll be ready to go home with someone next week.

Here she is before her bath.  The poor thing was terrified.

Understandably, baths aren't her favorite.

I'm pretty sure she's thinking, "Hmmm...I could get used to this."

Still wet, but feelin' good.

Just a little smushkins, looking for a home.

If you're interested in adopting this little bundle of love, please e-mail me at writer@freelancexpat.com.

Feral Cat Shelters: Save a Cat Today

The top of one of the feral cat shelters from Ohio Alleycat Resource.

Ever since moving into our apartment in July, my husband and I have found the stray cat problem in our part of Cincinnati troubling.  When we first arrived, there were several baby kittens (which we tried, unsuccessfully, to catch), and it seemed that each day we'd see a new cat.

We knew that we couldn't adopt them, as our apartment only allows for one cat, but we didn't know what to do to help them.  Taking them to the pound was out, because we all know what happens when feral cats go to the pound, and the no kill shelters are always full.  Plus, a cat living the rest of its life inside a cage (because no one would want it) doesn't seem fair.

As soon as the cold weather started rolling in, I knew we had to do something.  Our meager income right now (thanks to graduate school) doesn't allow us to buy or build a nice shelter for them, but there's no way the poor cats could survive the freezing temperatures.  

This morning, as I was getting ready for work, my husband called up the stairs to me, "Look out at our deck."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Just look.  Look at the poor cat."

Outside, on this freezing cold Ohio morning, was a cat sleeping on a pile of leaves on our deck.  The poor thing looked so cold and lonely, and my heart broke looking at it.  Then, I noticed another cat lying on a tall table, which stood in the other corner of our deck.  As I looked at the cats, I felt terrible, yet helpless.  What could I do?

Thankfully, just a few minutes later, a dear friend of mine posted about feral cat shelters (thanks, Em!).  So, I called several shelters, and I finally found a place that provides them for free.  Not only that, but they provide a $10.00 spay/neuter and tetanus shot for any trapped feral cats, and they'll rent traps for free (a $50.00 deposit is required, but it is returned when the trap is).  They rely on grants and donations, so be sure to give whatever you can to help them help more cats.  You can always donate the materials, too, in place of the shelters you take.

The shelter is called Ohio Alleycat Resource, and it's located at 5619 Orlando in Cincinnati; their contact info is 513-871-7297 or info@theanimalrescue.com.

Below are some photos of the shelters they provide.  All shelters are made by volunteers from donated styrofoam coolers and other materials.

This is one of the shelters, which we placed in the corner of the deck, near the leaves the kitty was sleeping on top of this morning.  Notice that the lid of the styrofoam cooler is glued on, and it seems to be covered in some sort of paint, which I assume is water resistant.

The styrofoam is lined with aluminum to keep the cats warm, a bed is made out of hay, and a hole is cut for the entrance (see above).  I'm guessing the size and height of the entrance helps keep other wild animals, such as possums and raccoons, from entering the shelters.

We placed the other shelter near the table the other cat was sleeping on this morning.

The cat didn't end up going into the shelter, but she was thinking about it!  Let's hope she uses it tonight.

Can't get enough of the strays?  Read the "Ode to Feral Cats Everywhere," and learn why I'm so in love with stray cats.

Ode to Feral Cats Everywhere

Our cat is crazy. I don't mean the chasing-bugs-and-running-around-the-house kind of crazy. I mean the jumps-at-every-sound-foot-attacking-eyelid-biting kind of crazy. Yes, she bit my eyelid.  And it hurt.

We got our little bundle of love from the Dominican Republic. Having recently moved into our first apartment together, my then fiance (now husband) and I decided to adopt a pet. Why we did this, I'm not really sure. In hindsight, we probably should have waited until we got back to the States.

We started our search for our new kitten by looking online. Now, the Dominican Republic is a wonderful place, but it is immensely lacking in infrastructure--roads, mail, and Internet--so finding our kitty was not easy. After several choppy conversations in Spanish, we finally found an organization that had two kittens ready to adopt. We went immediately, of course.

When we arrived, we saw two, little, emaciated kitten-like creatures. One of those little things was practically screaming at us in meows, and the other was frantically scaling the wall of its cage, crying at us.

We are practical people. Both of us knew that something was wrong with those cats. Their mother had died a week after they were born, leaving them alone on the street, starving, for a week. The rescue agency then took them in and gave them hard food and water at two weeks old. These cats had some real neurological issues.

But, we were desperate. We needed a cat (or so we felt at the time). And, the cat needed us (which was probably true).

So, we took the less crazy of the two home and named her Lila, which is Spanish for lilac.

You know how, sometimes, a baby is cute just because it's a baby? Lila was like that. Her cuteness wasn't inherent, and our friends politely pretended to think she was cute.

Truth is, our cat was a nightmare in many ways. She destroyed $900.00 of furniture (which we had to pay our landlord for), left scars from the many scratches she gave us, and attacked me on multiple occasions. We've also paid hundreds of dollars flying that silly thing back and forth between the Dominican Republic and the United States (four times).

Despite all of that, I love every feral bone in that little monster's body.

The point? Well, I think my "ode to feral cats everywhere" was supposed to be a plug for adopting pets. I'm not really sure that happened. If I haven't scared you off entirely, adopt a friendly, feral pet today!