Horse. Not hearse. Although that too has certain merits. It’s always obliging if the corpse, having fallen off the hearse can manage to re-load the coffin, and scramble back in. It’s good material for horror, and also an excellent way of getting rid of mourners. Trust me. Try it next you’re off to get buried.
No, it biers repeating, it was a horse I was wanting to write about. And not a dead horse, either. Although, it is fair to say, too, that given my skill at riding, that too is hard to beat.
The riding types always say that when you’re learning to ride, if you fall off, it is vital to get back in the saddle as soon as you can. This never made much sense to me as I was usually lying on the ground groaning while the horse continued on its merry way. Let’s just say I took as naturally to riding as I did to writing — which is really what this is all about.
After a fairly shaky start where writing and I often went in separate directions, I did eventually get the hang of it. Sometimes the writing would take off like a scalded cat (never good to ride) and take me with it. A lot of the time it was a lazy old horse, needing my heels and a fair amount of yelling to get moving. Sometimes it wanted to go one way, and I another. It won.
But, after a shaky start I managed about 30 years in the saddle. Oh, I’d dismount and do stuff, but even then, my head would still be riding… er writing.
The last few months though… I have been through a very rough time. The house saga consumed most of my energy and attention.
With that mostly resolved I thought I would slip back into my old pattern: daily word-counts, a reasonably disciplined effort.
I’ve spent about a week looking at the screen, achieving almost nothing. Wondering if it really matters. Depressed, I suppose – it doesn’t make sense. I’ve won. And yet… here I am. Looking at the horse I need to get back onto, and wondering just how to do it.
Pole-vault? A bull sharing the field?
Suggestions welcome.
Mad Genius Club 
14 responses to “Getting back on the Hearse”
Well, you could write a story in which a civil society is infected by bureaucrats, and develops an immune system.
Read some sort of relevant fiction, get annoyed by how it did X wrong. Decide to write a better version out of SPITE…
Spite and caffeine accomplish a great deal, when used in moderate moderation.
I’ve been running on that for years…
Ray Stevens did. He doesn’t recommend it.
I got tired of all fantasy heroes being young, warriors, and fighting mythical beasts. What if the hero is older, not a fighter (unless he has no choice), and just wants to get business done so he can go home and be comfortable? Thus were the Merchant stories done. No dragons, no unicorns, magic is regulated and practical [except for that one book]. And the hero aches and grumps.
Well, there are good reasons for heroes to be young. They can be worked around, but a young hero gives you someone who plausibly has no responsibilities without his being irresponsible or his having a backstory to explain.
Then, the very prevalence can make working around fun.
What has worked in the past, is likely what will work in the present, although it may require a bit of fine-tuning.
Take time to rest, you’ve just been through enormous labors both physical and mental. Refill the well. For me, that’s usually reading, sometimes music. After some time of both those things I find I have words again.
Happens for readers, too. While I was getting mentally prepared for a knee replacement procedure, a major wildfire broke out. We had to evacuate and spent 4 days in the never-been-used* emergency trailer. We got back with no physical damage, but right now, I’d rather read blogs and comment sections by people I know online. That and talking with neighbors, including one who is going through “interesting” times in his life.
The Kindle awaits. I’ve been home 2 weeks as of tomorrow, and I can see normality, but it’s a ways off. I’d prefer one eventful occasion at a time, but The Author has other ideas.
(*) It’s ready for the next emergency now. I can take a hint.
I think that was the same fire that caused my grandparents to evacuate for ten days, the fire got within a half-mile of their house but didn’t take it, thank goodness. I’m very glad you are home again, and yes, it takes time to recover!
Almost nothing is not nothing.
Sometimes I try shuffling between projects when producing almost nothing.
Blog if that’s what’s in you right now. Post on X. Journal? Gather random ideas for stories? Ranconteur press puts out 50 word challenges for fun; sift through their archives and try some?
You might try Breakfast Words. Just ten words, on a work in progress, before you can eat breakfast. Ten words. It may be the little leak that breaks the dam.