8 Responses to “what do you do when you got nothing?”

1. Whenever I had to write something–like my Master’s thesis–, and nothing came to mind, I would engage with something totally different mentally and/or physically, let the ideas simmer in my unconscious. Another technique is to listen to music by Mozart; that almost always sparked my creativity.

   Kay

   by Kay Webb Harrison on May 27th, 2008 at 9:41 am
   
   

2. as either a writer or just ordinary blogger, what do you do when you got nothing?

   I do much the same as Kay. Do something completely different (go for a bike ride, read an article about something I know nothing about) or choose music to help me shift gears. I also take showers. For some reason I think really well in the shower.

   I’ve seen reader bloggers leave in the past, either just not post anything for months or announce that they were putting their blog on hiatus for a while.

   Since I’m blank at the moment, I can understand why they do it, but it still makes me sad when they do. I enjoy reader’s blogs - even if they aren’t blogging about books.

   I let my blog go dark for long periods because sometimes I need all my creative and analytical energy focused on other things. I don’t think of it as a personal journal, so if I’m not “on topic” I don’t post. I realize an intermittent blog annoys readers, and I may change the way I do it–but feeling free to take a break is important to me. That’s the luxury of *not* being a pro and *not* needing to build a readership or market a book.

   by RfP on May 27th, 2008 at 11:12 am
   
   

3. As an ordinary blogger, sometimes I just don’t post anything. My blog was originally all about what I was reading, but I’ve had less to say about my reading lately, so I’ve posted other stuff.

   I feel vaguely guilty when I post non-book things, because I assume that to the extent that there are readers who stop by regularly, they are looking for the book-related stuff. But I just haven’t had much to talk about lately on the reading front.

   by jmc on May 27th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
   
   

4. I try to save different ideas for different places. If I think of something that I think would work here, I try to save it. Unfortunately I sometimes forget what I was trying to save. That happened to me last month. I knew there was something I wanted to blog on, but I could not remember what. So I struggled to come up with something vaguely coherent. Now I have a spot to jot things down for use here or at TGTBTU. We’ll see if I can find the list next week.

   I enjoy when people write about other stuff besides books. It’s like a wee glimpse into other aspects of them.

   by Devon on May 27th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
   
   

5. If I’ve really got nothing, sometimes I just skip a day. Or a post a pic, or a snippet, or dig through the archives and post a short story or poem. Or give away a book. I can usually come up with something, though.

   by Charlene Teglia on May 27th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
   
   

6. JMC: Like Devon, I also enjoy reading other stuff too. That’s why I added the etc on the end of my own blog - ’cause I knew I’d be focusing mainly on romance but also veering off unto other stuff too.

   Devon: *laughing* when it’s my own blog and I can’t think of a thing to say I just don’t either. But when I’m sitting at the keyboard, KNOWING, I have to come up with something here - by yesterday, and I can’t think of a damn thing without plagiarizing someone else (and don’t we ALL know what can happen when doing that) it was some pretty scary moments I had yesterday morning……as the clock was clicking down to go to work!

   Charlene: I’d already inadvertently skipped a day. Damn but time moves faster the older you get!!

   Kay: that’s probably what I should have done - just gotten up and walked away from the computer *g*

   RFP: I hear what you’re saying. Sometimes it’s quite an effort to blog when there’s nothing really to say. But having gotten to know so many great people, when they disappear for a while - we tend to worry and want to know they are doing alright.

   by Kristie(J) on May 27th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
   
   

7. I know the pain. I try to think of several blog posts to have ready for just an occasion, because I never want it to feel like work. If there ever came a day I didn’t enjoy it, I’d quit blogging too. So far it’s still fun for me, and I’ve met such great people through doing it. And you’re right, I worry about people when they don’t post - you become rather attached.

   by Stacy ~ on May 28th, 2008 at 6:32 am
   
   

8. I worry about people when they don’t post - you become rather attached.

   I usually assume people are just busy, like me. But now you mention it, maybe I need a sign at the top of my blog–”Still Alive” or “Back Shortly”–when I’m gone for a while. Or maybe “Queue Orderly”, for the massive internet traffic jam awaiting my next post ; )

   by RfP on May 28th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
   
   

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