Good summary of the writing process. (giggles)

*smiles... I rather thought so...

V.

Could be worse. Could be "Fear and Loathing in Key West"...

How that place has changed since first I saw it in 1975...

V.

Yeah, tell me about it. My first time down there was in the late '60s. The last time was in the early 2000's. I didn't recognize it and I have no interest in going back.

it's still one of our favorite cruise ship stops... they have an old 255 Coast Guard cutter there, and I long to go crawl around on it...

V.

Oh, this is one I can deeply sympathize with
because I can't tell you how many times I've
sat down to write something, and all I get
is my muse's voice mail. When the call goes
through at all.

occasionally I think it's the same for all of us...

V.

Dunno why you'd ask Hemingway for advice. How'd he get an entire book out of a story that could be summed up with 'when deep sea fishing, always use a steel leader?'

*laughs... so very true...

V.

Sheer determination! ;)

Writing is definitely one of those things that can't be forced, better to go away and do something else then come back to it, in my experience at least.

And I wonder if some of the classic authors could release a new piece today how well it would be received? Probably wouldn't fit well in the current zeitgeist.

I have no doubt the writers from before would do well. Did you ever read anything on Hemingway? He'd been shot more times than you could image. The guy was incredible.

V.

I read 'A Farewell to Arms' a long time ago and remember liking it but don't recall that much about it, and as for being shot, if that happens more than once you're obviously doing something wrong ;)

He wasn't even a combatant:

As World War I raged in the north, an 18-year-old Hemingway volunteered to drive an ambulance for the Red Cross on the Italian Front. In addition to delivering wounded soldiers to safety, he transported supplies.

On one such mission – delivering cigarettes and chocolate – a mortar shell exploded only steps away from where he stood, leaving him with more than 200 shrapnel wounds. Despite his injuries, the young man dragged an Italian soldier to safety. For his courage, Hemingway was awarded the Italian Silver Metal of Bravery.

V.

He certainly led an interesting life, but it seem to have all caught up with him in the end :/

yes... sadly... depression is a true killer...

V.

It really is.

"Having trouble writing? Ask a dead author how they did it." Or a live one. As you keep telling me. just sit down and do it. LOL

When I was editor for a couple organizations' newsletters I could do that. One was for a sailing club I was a member of for 30 years (and flag officer for four) and the other was for a more straight laced outfit (a philharmonic orchestra support group) that I held several positions for, including President - twice. (You'd think I'd learn by now.) I'm still on their board, they won't let me resign. As long as I had a topic of interest, specific to the organization or affecting it, I could write. When I stopped getting suggestions or news of interest other than routine organization business. I quit doing it for both, within a couple years of one another as I recall. Being editor of the boat club's rag gave me a lot of "flexibility" and there were a couple other members that contributed with some outrageous parodies either about or "ghost written" by celebrities of the day or the past. I really should post some of these along with my contributions. It might get me fired up again.

and why not??? I am thinking of the interview we did with Steward Granger, and he was a real hoot. What a nice person too.

V.

Luckily, I never had George's problem. I always knew what I wanted to write. My problem was figuring out how to write it well.

A good reminder for would-be writers, Ms. V.

*smiles very big... I still have my first novel attempt laying around somewhere - it was fun but truly horrible.

V.

I have no idea if this works for other writers but when I get blocked up, depending on what I'm writing (music or stories), I pick up a good book (or, if I'm writing music, listen to albums) and read it through... or until I get that >>>FLASH!<<< in my head (no... not the lightbulb kind... more like a flashbulb [old camera users remember those])... meaning an idea just blew up. Either that or I needed to stop doing drugs long before I stopped doing drugs... or did I stop? Hmmm....
That famous Chinese philosopher,Confusion, says; "If ya don't know where yer goin and ya can't remember where ya been, stay right where yer at because it's a dangerous world out there." Burma Shave. =^-.o^=

*laughs... good old Burma Shave... and how many of us remember those signs?

V.

Nothing like a haunted laptop to play games with a writer's mind...
Boy does this sum up so many things in life! Not just writing!

That was a fun read and delightfully twisted as well.

*smiles very big... ty ty ty Fem...

V.

You are welcome dear heart

The mention of 'near beer' made me chuckle. A Bud Light cameo.

I remember that when I was young, that was all you buy on a college campus... how things have changed...

V.