If I had to describe myself, it would be in a word that has many meanings with a complexity which falls off the tongue.
A word made up of many elements, is deceptive in appearance, and creates an illusion from the imagination.
My word would be Phantasmagoric. ~Summer Ross

Monday, October 22, 2012

Writers Therapy Blogfest post

Today is Writers Therapy Blog hop

The rules:
 To participate in the blog hop, follow these simple steps.
1. Write a post about what you use as your writing therapy (pinterest, chocolate, a TV show, book, ect) and how it helps you.
2. Pick a Writer Therapy badge and add it to your blog sidebar.
3. Have your blog post go up on the morning of October 22, 2012. We’ll post a new blog entry here early that morning with links.
4. If you sign up for the blog hop, make sure you comment on at least 5 other blogs on October 22.



My writing therapy boils down to two things. 

1) reading- this helps my inspiration low because I'm getting new input from a different writer and it also helps me escape the confines of my own writing and what might be ailing me.

2) my writer friends/critiquing. Friends are great for getting stuff off my chest, bouncing ideas, and critiquing their work to take my mind off mine. They are a great source for inspiration or procrastination depending on the perception of it all.  

Do you escape by book?
Are friends procrastination or inspiration for your writing?

Happy Writing!


24 comments:

Jamie Krakover said...

Nothing like a good book to take your mind to another place :) And Friends are the best distraction. Especially writer buddies because they get it :) I love reading my critique partners work. It's always so refreshing :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

My critique partners are always giving me new ideas!

Aemilia Grace said...

Yes, I do. I find reading a great way to get over the writing woes or to relieve stress. It sure helps me, at least. :)

Natasha Hawkins said...

Reading definitely is therapy...for writing...for everything. Thanks for sharing.

You can find my writing therapy at:
http://www.greeneyesandfreckles.blogspot.com

Natasha

K. L. Hallam said...

These sound like the perfect escape and refueling techniques. I think you got it down. :) And you are doing your "homework" --which is what i tell my kids, when I need them to bug off.

Old Kitty said...

Reading books by fave authors are wonderful for inspiration!! And good friends much as you love em are a fab distraction for me! LOL! Take care
x

Katie Hamstead said...

Reading is great, it can inspire and motivate. Friends are also fantastic at this!

Aspiring Author said...

Ah, yes, reading. It's amazing that I read MORE when I am writing, rather than less. As for friends, most just look at me like I am weird when I say I am writing. Cheers!

Unknown said...

Yes, both those things work for me too sometimes. Nothing like a great CP...

Kevin said...

My critique group is definitely my biggest Therapy.

I need to read more...

TV is NOT one for me. It's more like a creative sucking box of doooom! (I noticed that Chersti used TV as an example in the rules...)

Kevin said...

My critique group is definitely my biggest Therapy.

I need to read more...

TV is NOT one for me. It's more like a creative sucking box of doooom! (I noticed that Chersti used TV as an example in the rules...)

Unknown said...

Yes! There are days I'd rather be a reader than a writer, so much easier and less stressful. However, those voices inside my head (not the mental illness kind, the creative kind) won't leave me be.

My friends are a great get away and often they do inspire me.

Writer Therapy said...

I don't know how I would survive the writing world without my awesome critique group - so friends is a definite Writer Therapy for me! I hit a rough chapter this past few weeks, and every night that week I was on the phone with one of my critique group, getting ideas or just complaining about my dumb chapter. FINALLY the whole thing is resolve, thank goodness.

~Chersti Nieveen

Sarah J. said...

Love reading. We wouldn't be writers if we didn't love reading! A writer has two kinds of friends: writing friends and non-writing friends. Writing friends inspire and non-writing friends distract. But BOTH are important to a writer's therapy!

Katie Dunn said...

Crit partners are pretty awesome for getting out of a funk=) Stopping by from the blog hop and wanted to say I love your blog!

LTM said...

sometimes books inspire me--other times they make me flail and decide I have to quit because I'll "never write something that good ever." LOL! :D

but I love escaping in books. And I love spending time with friends. So I guess yes is my answer... :o) <3

Ellie Garratt said...

Reading is a definite for me. I sometimes wonder if I should just read all the time and not write. But those characters keep calling me back to the keyboard!

Anonymous said...

I always have a good book! Nothing like a good book...

Anonymous said...

Critique partners are something I'm currently struggling with. I have an MFA (don't hold it against me!) but my friends from that program are all non-fiction writers as my focus at that time was creative non-fiction. While I still write and love writing creative non-fiction (mostly travel writing), I'm currently writing a YA novel.

Reading is homework--the really enjoyable kind!

Golden Eagle said...

I love reading for inspiration. Helps cut down on the TBR list as well!

Unknown said...

Completely agree! Good books are great for sparking inspiration. There are several authors I read who are great at making my figurative writing better.
Thank you for your insight, I enjoyed reading about your therapies!

Carolyn V said...

I totally love to escape by book! A really, really good book! ;)

Michael Di Gesu said...

Those would be mine as well Summer.

Reading and inspiration from our blogger community had helped me tremendously with my journey in writing.

M Pax said...

I have a friend I write long rambling emails to when I get stuck. Usually, I work it out before I hit send. Not always, though. Other writers to bounce ideas off of are great, too.

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